General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Windows 8 Dev Tablets Hit eBay; Not the Only Windows 8 Devices on Sale

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 08:14 PM PDT

While you can always put Windows 8 through its paces by downloading the Developer Preview, there is nothing quite like an absolutely free Windows 8 tablet with decent innards. Microsoft gave away 5,000 such Samsung Windows 8 tablets to developers at last week's BUILD conference. A few of those developers are apparently so unimpressed that they are now desperately trying to get rid of these gratis tablets for whatever amount people are willing to pay. It turns out that people are willing to pay thousands of dollars.

At the time of writing, there are three such tablets on sale on eBay, with the highest bid being $2,700. However, the Samsung tablet is not the only Windows 8 device currently up for sale on the popular auction site. A lot of ingenious sellers are trying to use the absolutely free Windows 8 Developer Preview (available here) to draw attention to their otherwise run-of-the-mill PCs.

Anyways, a quick rundown of the Samsung Windows 8 tablet's specs is in order:

  • 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 processor
  • Samsung Super PLS 1366x768 display
  • UEFI BIOS
  • 4GB DDR3 RAM
  • 64GB solid state HD
  • Sensors, USB, micro SD, HDMI
  • 11.6' diagonal, 909g, 12.9mm

Viacom Sues Harmonix Shareholders for $131 Million

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 03:32 PM PDT

harmonixFeeling a little slighted after selling off Rock Band subsidiary Harrmonix, Viacom is suing the shareholders of the former partner. The suit is seeking damages in the amount of $131 million. As it happens, Viacom paid only $149 million for the company in 2006 when the plastic instrument gaming market was hot.

Earlier this year, Viacom sold Harmonix for a pittance when it became clear that consumers were through with the genre. Shareholders sued first alleging mismanagement, and asked for $13 million. Viacom one-upped them with new case, which is seeking to reclaim earn-out payments made during the 2006 merger. 

Earn-outs are a way to keep the management of an acquired company in place after the deal is done. In this case, Viacom alleges that miscalculations mean it is due a hefty refund. The shareholders obviously disagree, and plan to continue with their case.

Microsoft to Wield Absolute Control over Windows 8 Metro App Supply

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 03:31 PM PDT

Microsoft is unlike other pretenders to the tablet throne, all of whom are simply following Apple's lead, in that it wants Windows 8-based tablets to deliver both the versatility and power of traditional PCs and the pickup-and-play ease of media tablets. But that's where the differences end as Redmond also seems to have a fair amount of faith in the old adage "when in Rome . . ." Like Apple, the pioneer of the modern app store, MS also plans to keep 30 percent of all app sales. But that's not the only part of Apple's app distribution model to have caught Microsoft fancy.ercent of all app sales. But that's not the only part of Apple's app distribution model to have caught Microsoft's fancy.

The company has confirmed that Metro apps will be available only through the Windows Store. "We will be the only store for distribution of Metro-style apps," Ted Dworkin, who spearheads Windows Store development team, revealed at last week's BUILD conference. 

Apparently, the software giant wants to wield total control over the Metro app supply for the sake of security. According to Dworkin, all apps will be vetted for viruses and malware before being sent to the Windows Store. But it's also quite obvious that the company doesn't want third-party app stores to eat into its app sales.

The 7-inch HP TouchPad Go Surfaces in Chinese Forum

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 03:02 PM PDT

tpgoHP was due to release a 7-inch tablet to go along with the now cancelled TouchPad. The smaller slate, codenamed Opal and later dubbed TouchPad Go, was reportedly just two weeks away from release when HP killed webOS. Well, a poster in a Chinese forum has posted images and details of the device, which he claims to have been using for three months.

The 7-inch tablet clocks in at the same 1024x768 resolution as the TouchPad, and uses the same 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 processor. All the labels match the past FCC filings and the images seem legit as well. Interestingly, the Opal has both front and rear cameras, and possibly an NFC module. 

This would have been an intriguing little tablet, if HP hadn't killed the platform. While this is the only working Opal that has leaked out, we have to think there is a warehouse someplace in China with a few thousand of these sitting in crates.

AT&T May Sell Off Assets to Seal T-Mobile Deal

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 02:43 PM PDT

attReports today are indicating that AT&T really doesn't want its acquisition of T-Mobile to fall through, and is going so far as to consider a large asset sale to seal the deal with regulators. Ma Bell is quietly chatting up smaller competitors like MetroPCS and Leap Wireless to sell spectrum and subscribers, according to sources.

The deal to buy T-Mobile hit a snag recently when the US Justice Department filed suit to stop it. The FCC, and several states have also called foul on the buyout, saying that it will hurt competition and negatively affect users. By selling off assets, AT&T hopes to convince regulators that that will not be the case.

If AT&T cannot close the deal, they will have to pay out in the neighborhood of $6 billion to T-Mobile. AT&T's 4G LTE expansion plans would also be set back. Do you think that the deal will go through in the end?

Think Inside the Box: The Ultimate NAS Showdown

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 02:12 PM PDT

The NAS box, that is. It's not particularly sexy or groundbreaking, but network-attached storage is an obvious solution for a common need

The computer industry is in a constant state of tension between local and distributed computing. On one extreme is the desktop computer with terabytes of storage, a powerful CPU and GPU, and huge tracts of RAM—but which mostly restricts users to direct local access. On the other end are smartphones, tablets, netbooks, and other thin-client devices that rely on cloud storage and constant data access to make up for their lack of oomph, but which allow users to access their data from anywhere. Both types of computing have their advantages, and both can benefit hugely from a home server or other network-attached storage (NAS) device.

A modern NAS, as the hub of your home network, can offer many advantages. Its terabytes of storage can provide not only easy backup for your devices, but also a centralized and unified media library that can stream to any device in your home—and beyond. With the use of smartphone and tablet apps, a web interface, and streaming services, your NAS can be your network's brain when you're at home and your personal cloud when you're not.

We're going to take a look at four of the top NAS devices currently on the market. All the products we tested support up to four SATA drives in the standard RAID levels (0/1/5/10), providing exceptional performance and reliability. These devices are geared toward small businesses and home offices, and they include features and performance that extend above and beyond what the typical home user will require. But then again, we've always felt that overkill is just another product feature.

Promise SmartStor NS4700

ITS LOOKS ARE ITS MOST NOTABLE ATTRIBUTE

Promise Technology has been quietly making a name for itself as a major player in the storage space, producing a number of RAID and NAS solutions for all types of needs. The SmartStor NS4700 is the company's four-bay, performance-oriented NAS. The NS4700 ships without hard drives, but in our testing we used four 2TB Seagate Barracuda Green drives. Other items included in the box are an Ethernet cable, a standard computer power cord, a quick-start guide, a documentation/software CD, and screws for mounting your hard drives. The software CD includes a copy of Acronis Backup and Recovery NAS Edition, which is limited for use with Promise NAS devices.

The SmartStor NS4700 sports a dual-core Atom D525 processor running at 1.8GHz and 1GB of DDR2 RAM. Five USB 2.0 ports (one on the front) allow you to add USB hard drives to easily move large amounts of data to and from the NAS or to function as a backup medium, but there is no USB 3.0 or eSATA. Dual Gigabit Ethernet ports are automatically configured for load balancing, but this can be reconfigured easily in the browser-based management console.


In a world of plain black boxes, the NS4700's two-tone aesthetic seems downright daring.

From a hardware standpoint, the NS4700 looks very clean. The drives are accessible from the front of the device and are housed within four horizontally oriented drive trays. The trays themselves feature a sliding lock that prevents accidental removal but not unauthorized access. The LCD panel on the front along with the associated select and enter buttons, allows for some minor configuration and information gathering.

For the most part, configuring the NS4700 is done through a browser-based UI. The interface itself is clean and features an impressive dashboard, allowing you to monitor various aspects of the hardware. Actually configuring things like shares and permissions isn't as intuitive as we'd like, but that's not something you will be doing on a regular basis, either. Promise includes support for the DLNA Digital Media Server role, and the NS4700 also functions as an iTunes media server. Both protocols make your media library accessible to a wide range of client devices.

score:7
Promise SmartStor NS4700
$850 (enclosure only)

www.promise.com

Synology DS411+II

A STRONG SOFTWARE PACKAGE MAKES UP FOR OUTDATED HOUSING

Synology has been in the NAS business for a while, and it has an impressive number of products to show for it. The DS411+II uses the same housing as the company's DS409+ NAS box that we reviewed in our Holiday 2009 issue, and that's a problem. While the competitors are offering products with hot-swappable drives that are accessible from the front, the DS411+II requires you to remove thumbscrews and the cover to gain access to the drive bays. Synology supports a "RAID 5+Spare" drive configuration in the DS411+II, meaning you can have one drive configured as a spare in case of drive failure. In the box, along with the DS411+II itself, you will find the power cord and external power supply, an Ethernet cable, a DVD with software and documentation, and screws for drive installation.


Installing drives in the DS411+II's four bays requires front-cover removal and use of thumbscrews.

The DS411+II is powered by a robust dual-core 1.8GHz Atom and 1GB of DDR2 memory, which belie the slightly outdated form factor. Sadly, the DS411+II lags in the connectivity department, offering just two USB 2.0 ports and a single gigabit Ethernet connection. A lone eSATA port is small consolation. The DS411+II supports USB hard drives, USB printers, and even USB speakers for playing music directly from the device.

Though it's not exactly a work of art, chances are you'd be purchasing a NAS for the functionality it provides, not its aesthetic value. For all of the DS411+II's hardware deficiencies, Synology nailed the software side of the equation. The web-based configuration utility is innovative and fresh, using modern web technologies to allow you to view multiple configuration screens or performance dashboards simultaneously. The DS411+II even provides a wizard-based utility that assists you in configuring your router and firewall to allow access to the NAS through the web. Synology offers both DLNA and iTunes media server options and even goes a step farther by functioning as a Squeezebox Server for Logitech's Squeezebox line of media streamers.

score:8
Synology DS411+II
$700 (enclosure only)

www.synology.com

Buffalo TeraStation Pro Quad

ONE OF THE BEST NAS DEVICES ON THE MARKET—ON PAPER

When it comes to computer networking products, there are a few companies that always come to mind. Buffalo is one of them. Storage devices have always been a part of Buffalo's repertoire, so including the TeraStation Pro Quad in this roundup was a no-brainer. The "Quad" in the moniker refers to the four drives that come preinstalled in the NAS, with options for 1TB, 2TB, or 3TB drives at various price points. Buffalo chose a dual-core 1.6GHz Atom to run the TeraStation Pro, and 2GB of RAM provides more than enough memory for most purposes. The configuration we tested came complete with four 1TB drives. Inside the box, you'll find Ethernet and power cables, a quick-start guide, and a software and documentation CD. Buffalo also includes 10 licenses of NovaBackup Business Essentials.

Buffalo chose to keep the drive trays accessible from the front of the unit, though they are enclosed behind a locking door. The door locks at the bottom, but the handle is located at the top; this causes the door to flex when you attempt to open the door without first unlocking it. An LCD panel graces the front of the TeraStation Pro and provides simple configuration and diagnostic information. The back of the device has a generous array of connectivity options: two gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0, and two USB 3.0 ports. The USB ports support both external drives and printers, while the Ethernet connections can be configured for load balancing or failover.


Buffalo is all business with the TeraStation Pro Quad. The result is a NAS geared toward the workplace and short on consumer features.

The software end of things is where Buffalo really shows its business bias. The most apparent tools in the web-based interface allow you to locate your NAS through beeps and a flashing LCD, features that are primarily suited to users with several NAS devices. Other prevalent features, such as Active Directory integration are key tools for business environments, but are of little use to home users. BitTorrent downloads are supported, as are DLNA and iTunes servers, though configuration for media-centric functionality is pretty sparse. One rather compelling feature is the WebAccess service, which allows you to create a friendly URL for accessing all of your files.

Performance is the biggest cause for concern in our opinion, as our large-file copy to the NAS took a whopping 2 minutes, 4 seconds. Compare that to Synology's DS411+II coming in at 28 seconds, and you can understand our disappointment.

score:5
Buffalo TeraStation Pro Quad
$1200 (four 1TB drives preinstalled)

www.buffalotech.com

QNAP TS-459 Pro II

OUR FAVORITE NAS GETS BETTER, BUT REMAINS PRICEY

When the previous version of a product holds a spot in our Best of the Best hardware rankings (see our review of the QNAP TS-459), it's only fair to have some high expectations, and fortunately, QNAP meets them with its TS-459 Pro II. The TS-459 Pro II ships with power and Ethernet cables and includes NetBak Replicator software to easily manage backups to the device.

Some aspects of the TS-459 Pro II hardware are comparable to the competition, and in other respects, it's just head and shoulders above the rest. A 1.8GHz dual-core Atom powers the TS-459 Pro II, and 1GB of DDR3 RAM comes preinstalled, though you can upgrade to 3GB yourself. The front of the NAS features four individually lockable drive trays that are mounted vertically. The LCD provides quick access to important information and can be used to handle some minor configuration.


QNAP anticipates all your NAS needs with the TS-459 Pro II; it's the compete package.

QNAP offers more connectivity options than most mortals will know what to do with. The dual Ethernet ports are pretty standard for these devices, but QNAP also tosses in four USB 2.0, two USB 3.0, and two eSATA ports. QNAP also gets a leg up on the competition by providing support for SATA3 drives internally, giving it lots of potential when paired with high-performance drives. In addition to all of the standard RAID levels, QNAP also supports a RAID 5+Spare configuration for folks with a phobia about data loss.

On the software side of things, QNAP shows similar attentiveness. The TS-459 Pro II offers three distinct web console interfaces for administration, media playback (Multimedia Station), and file browsing. QNAP's web UI isn't as cutting-edge as what Synology offers, but that doesn't make it any less usable. From an administration perspective, all of the key features and capabilities are easily accessed. The Multimedia Station is especially handy, as the system indexes your media and gives you very usable methods of viewing your pictures or listening to your music away from home. DLNA and iTunes server support are both included with the TS-459 Pro II, though DLNA is handled with a Twonky server plugin.

It might be pricey, but the TS-459 Pro II covers all bases.

score:9
QNAP TS-459 Pro II
$950 (enclosure only)

www.qnap.com

Is NAS Really the Best Option?

The decision about whether to go the NAS route or to purchase/build a Windows Home Server can be a tough call and is similar to the desktop/laptop decision; a big part of the choice comes down to how you plan on using the computer.

Windows Home Server excels at bringing several Windows-based PCs into a single network by integrating into the client computers transparently. Synchronized user accounts, automated integration into file libraries, and automated backups are just a few of the benefits of owning a Windows Home Server. The media sharing and backup capabilities of a Home Server are in direct competition with the NAS boxes in this review, but the NAS devices can't compare to the level of integration achieved by Windows Home Server.

If you're not in a Windows-centric environment, NAS devices offer more functionality for users of other operating systems, such as Linux, or mobile platforms like iOS and Android. All of the NAS appliances reviewed offer some sort of iOS application, and both QNAP and Synology also support Android devices. Time spent on proper care and feeding of a NAS can be lower than that of a full-blown Windows Home Server, making it a good option for friends and family who may be less tech-savvy. There may also be situations where you don't want all of your files and folders to be shared with family or roommates.

At the end of the day, the only person who can tell you which storage option is best for your scenario is you. Settle on a price point, determine which hardware and software features you need, figure out which platforms you will use to access your files, and decide how much time you want to spend managing and maintaining the system that is supposed to be making your life easier.

The Performance Picture

HOW THE BENCHMARKS FIGURE IN TO THE FINAL VERDICTS

In our performance testing, Synology's DS411+II consistently led the pack, though the QNAP TS-459 Pro II wasn't ever far behind. The real surprise was how terribly the Buffalo TeraStation Pro Quad performed when writing to the device, especially given its top marks for read speeds with the large-file test. All of our testing was performed with both the PC and NAS boxes connected to a Netgear GS108E eight-port gigabit switch.

When all is said and done, it's hard to argue against the QNAP TS-459 Pro II, which meets or exceeds every specification and feature of the competition. Though it did fall behind Synology's DS411+II in our performance testing, the breadth of its capabilities makes up for those mostly minor performance differences. From where we sit, the biggest selling points for QNAP are the bevy of connectivity options, SATA3 support, expandable memory, and more software features than you can shake a memory stick at.

The real battle in this competition is for second place. Promise and Synology both deliver quality products, with Promise winning the hardware battle and Synology the software. If forced to decide between the two, we'd have to go with Synology because its control panel and software features show so much attention to detail. Add to that the price difference between the Synology DS411+II and the Promise SmartStor NS4700, and you can see why the former is the clear winner of the pair.

To be fair to Buffalo, the TeraStation Pro Quad is a solid piece of hardware, second only to the QNAP box. The biggest problem we have is the inconsistent performance, which we can only assume to be software-related. Hopefully, the kinks can be worked out with a firmware update in the near future.

Benchmarks
Promise SmartStor NS4700 Synology DS411+II Buffalo TeraStation Pro Quad QNAP TS-459 Pro II
PC to NAS, small (sec) 11 08 35 09
PC to NAS, large (sec) 36 28 124 30
NAS to PC, small (sec) 11 08 09 11
NAS to PC, large (sec) 37 38 35 38

Our test bed features a six-core AMD Phenom II running at 3.2GHz, 8GB of RAM, and a 1TB SATA2 WD Caviar Green drive. All testing was done across a Netgear GS108E gigabit switch. Testing consisted of copying a single 2.79GB file and a folder comprised of 659MB worth of files and folders to and from each NAS. Each test result is the average of three test runs.

How RIM Could Save Itself

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 12:54 PM PDT

RIM just reported earnings that were even more miserable than expected. We've already said why the company is cooked. But is there any way it can be salvaged? Well, just maybe there is.

You ready, RIM? It's time we had a talk.

Stop Leaning on Enterprise

You know who made BlackBerry popular? Companies, who valued the handsets' security and their keyboards and their messaging systems in a pre- and nascent-smartphone world. Then consumers started joining in on the fun, because employees and consumers are often the same people! But consumers have abandoned ship at an alarming rate, and even companies are realizing that if they just let their employees use their own smartphones for work they'll be off the hook for massive annual hardware buys and—more crucially—dozens/hundreds/thousands of data plans.

You know who else leaned on enterprise? Windows Mobile. And from that heaping trainwreck arose Windows Phone, one of the most promising developments in mobile in years. So get the consumers back, RIM. They're going to be the ones who lift you up.

It's not just phones, either. The BlackBerry PlayBook wanted so desperately to be the definitive enterprise tablet, but that's kind of like being the definitive Cracker Barrel sommelier; the two just don't go together. Not right now, anyway. Either give the PlayBook some consumer chops or let it die a graceful death.

Bring in New Management

Look, all respect to Mike Lazaridis for being one of a handful of tech CEOs left with serious engineering chops. That doesn't mean he's a good CEO.

And even if he and co-CEO Jim Balsillie had been doing everything right and just run up against some sheer dumb luck, there comes a time when you need a fresh set of eyes and brains on the problem. For RIM—which has been doing many things wrong!—that time was probably sometime in the middle of the BlackBerry 7 development process.

If anything, a change would help morale, which was already demostrably in the gutter even before those recently announced layoffs.

Android Is for Quitters

BlackBerry App World is like the sad broken-down amusement park your dad takes you to because when he was a kid it was the only place that had a log flume. You got behind with devs. You got beat. Get them back. Microsoft's doing it—slowly, surely—with Windows Phone, and you can too. It's going to take money, sure, but considering how many wasted investments you've been willing to make recently you might as well splurge on something useful.

You've got time before QNX makes its phone debut. Use that time to line up as many major devs as you can. Don't just make BlackBerry a QWERTY storefront for Android apps. We have that already. It's called Droid.

Make Sure QNX Works Right

And honestly, there's no need to hit the Android panic button. You still shipped 10.6 million BlackBerries last quarter (although who can say how many you sold). Your QNX-based phones aren't going to be a game-changer, but they could get you back in the game, you know? But not if you rush it, and definitely not if you push it out without BES/BIS email/calendar support. That's like releasing a Twinkie with no gooey filling.

BlackBerry 7 is okay. It's fine. It's not great. We all know that. And you basically acknowledged on your earnings call today that it's a stopgap until QNX gets here. But it's a good enough stopgap that you can run with it for as long as you need to. You also just said that a year from now BlackBerry 7 would still represent the majority of your sales. Works for me! As long as QNX eventually gets a major splash.

You're going to tell us more about QNX plans in October, and we can wait until then. And I'll take you at your word today that you're waiting until everything's perfect to release it. Then again, you seem to think you did that with Torch, which, nope!

Quit It With That BBM Music Crap

Seriously, what are you thinking? Did this cost you any money? Because you wasted all that money.

Accentuate the Positive

You know what, RIM? We like you. You're the underdog. You make some handsome hardware, the best QWERTY mobile keyboard out there. And there's no reason mobile shouldn't be a four-horse race. That benefits competition, which benefits everybody. Your phones are secure, they're reliable, they're reasonably priced. All that's great.

And hey, you're still making lots of money! Sure, you're not making it as fast as you used to, but $4 billion of revenue is a lot of Curves. And there was still $329 million of net income in there which, even though it's less than half the profits of last year's analogous quarter, is still enough to fund some solid R&D.

So you know what? Be RIM. Make BlackBerries. Don't make huge investments in shoddy tablets no one asked for, don't push out half-baked software no one likes, don't decide months too late to manufacture a music service no one needs. People don't go to the circus for the sideshow, they go to see the elephants. So give us some freaking elephants, already.

There's hope, RIM. A tiny little sliver of hope that you can turn this thing around and be, well, let's not say the company you once were. Let's say you could turn this thing around and survive. I certainly hope you do. But it's going to take whole lot more than you've been showing us.

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

Chrome Web App of the Week: pixlr-o-matic

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 12:09 PM PDT

pixlSince it first popped up in the iTunes App Store, Instagram has taken the smartphone photographic world by storm. Currently being rocked by more than 10 million users, the free photo editing app allows users to give their iPhone photos a warm vintage look via the use of a number of filters, making mundane image captures a little bit more extraordinary. Wait there's more! Once you've processed your photos, you can share them on a wide variety of services, such as Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr! Sounds good right? If you're an Android phone user, take heart: Instagram will be coming to your handset... eventually. Until then, we can be content to use pixlr-o-matic, our Chrome Web App of the Week.

 Free and easy to use, pixlr-o-matic provides PC users with much of the same functionality that's made Instagram all the rage with Apple fanboys. Users of the web app are invited to take a photo with their webcam or to upload an image for editing from their desktop. Once they've selected an image to work with, users face the daunting task of choosing which photo filter to use. Once you've created your masterpiece, you'll have be presented with the option to either upload your freshly edited image to pixlr's servers or download it to your desk top.

Oh, and should opening up Chrome to tinker with your pictures prove too much for you, the application's developers have also cooked up downloadable and Facebook-bound iterations of the app.

Be sure to check back with us every Monday for another edition of Maximum PC's Chrome Web App of the Week.

 

 

Gamers Solve AIDS Enzyme Puzzle that Stumped Scientists

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 12:03 PM PDT

Gamers routinely save the world, though the goal isn't always as ambitious. Quests can be as simple as running errands, escorting a high profile figure from point A to point B, or hunting for specific ingredients. No matter how big or little the tasks, gamers get it done, and not just in the virtual world either. To wit, it took a group of gamers a mere three weeks to solve a puzzle in AIDS research that scientists have been working on for years.

Scientists have been stumped for a decade trying to solve the crystal structure of a retrovirus protein, and so the University of Washington turned to an online folding protein game called Foldit.

"We challenged players of the protein folding game Foldit to produce accurate models of the protein. Remarkably, Foldit players were able to generate models of sufficient quality for successful molecular replacement and subsequent structure determination. The refined structure provides new insights for the design of antiretroviral drugs," researchers wrote in a study published in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

The players used their three-dimensional problem solving skills to create the structure, answering the question "if human intuition could succeed where automated methods had failed." According to Fox News, the researchers now hope that crowd-sourcing and online game playing could prove helpful in solving other scientific problems.

Score one for gamers.

Telltale Games Discounts Tales of Monkey Island for Talk Like a Pirate Day

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 10:57 AM PDT

In case you partied too hard over the weekend and forgot the date, today is September 19th. So fill up your mug with grog and put on your eye-patch, lest you be labled a scallywag on Talk Like a Pirate Day! With your remaining good eye, be on the lookout for deals, like the one from Telltale games.

TellTale games has appropriately discounted the full season of Tales of Monkey Island on PC and Mac. From today until September 26, you can grab all five chapters for $10, a 70 percent discount over the regular $35 selling price. If you prefer to play it on your iPad, all five appisodes have been marked down to $3 each.

So what exactly is Talk Like a Pirate Day? It's a day to talk like a pirate, of course! It's also a parody holiday that dates back to 1995. It was started by John Baur and Mark Summers, who conceived the idea during a game of racquetball when one of them yelled out, "Arrr!."

Baur and Summers explain that they pretty much celebrated the holiday on their own for the first seven years. Then in 2002, they fired off an email to Dave Barry, a syndicated columnist, who thought it was a great idea. He ran with the story and then all "hell broke loose."

Image Credit: Telltale Games

MMO News

MMO News


Aeria Games reveals numbers and new acquisition

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 02:31 PM PDT

Aeria Games has announced today that its online gaming hub supports over 23 million players globally, and gains an average of one million new registered users each month.

The company focus on freemium MMOs and other online games targeted to a “power gamer” audience. Currently, the company publishes over 30 online titles in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Aeria Games has also gained a new mobile game (iOS and Android) that has yet to be named, plus an internal development team from Punch Entertainment, known for social online games. The acquisition is part of Aeria Games’ creation of a new mobile division to develop products for smart phone users.

grand-fantasia-evening

Grand Fantasia Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

AERIA GAMES REVEALS ITS FREE-TO-PLAY ONLINE GAMING SCOPE

Leading Destination for Free-to-play Multiplayer Titles Passes 23 Million Targeted Power Gamers; Announces Strategic Acquisition of New, Yet-to-Be Named Mobile Game on iOS and Android and Development Talent from Punch Entertainment

SANTA CLARA – September 19 2011 – Aeria Games, a leading destination for free-to-play online multiplayer games, today revealed more of its business successes by confirming it has surpassed 23 million dedicated power gamers worldwide. Led by seasoned executives from gaming, technology, internet, and financial sectors, the company has quietly gained significant momentum through its growing and active community, with an average of one million new, unique registered users every month. The California-based company has amassed a diverse portfolio of over 30 high quality online games and expanded its worldwide reach with presences in Europe, Latin America and Asia.  Aeria Games' latest acquisition is a new, yet-to-be named mobile game on iOS and Android, along with an internal development team, from Punch Entertainment, bringing its worldwide staff to over 250 people.

Aeria Games continues to be a global publisher of high quality online free-to-play games in North America, Europe, and Latin America. Its players enjoy access to a universal gaming destination providing deep, immersive online games accessible from PCs, browsers, tablets, and smart phones. The self-funded and privately held company is committed to supporting titles that cater to players looking for an engaging multiplayer experience with robust and active community support.

Rather than targeting the wide but shallow pool of casual gamers, Aeria Games focuses its expertise on delivering highly profitable freemium experiences to what it terms "power gamers"—hard core and medium core players who play as much as four hours per day.

"Our strategy of targeting highly engaged power gamers around the world and delivering high quality content and outstanding service is paying off with our steadily growing pool of tens of millions of gamers and our extremely strong average revenue per user," said Lan Hoang, Chief Executive Officer, Aeria Games. "As we move forward, we will continue to form strategic partnerships and grow our development teams while building and acquiring more engaging content to reward our dedicated power gamers."

Aeria Games hosts a diversified and growing portfolio of critically-acclaimed client and browser-based free-to-play titles from multiple genres including action, MMO, and shooters, to name a few. Noteworthy games include the MMO Eden Eternal, which released in June as Aeria's biggest month one launch to date, the popular MMORPG, Shaiya, the supernatural MMOFPS, Wolf Team, and the innovative , Grand Fantasia. Additionally, the company has recently formed a new mobile division that will produce products geared for smart phone users as well as complementary titles to its core PC network.

The newly acquired development team from Punch Entertainment joins Aeria Games' head office in Santa Clara, California to complete their yet-to-be named project in development, as well as produce new and additional titles.  Serving a global audience of power players, Aeria Games releases its titles in multiple languages including English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, Turkish, and Russian.

For more information on Aeria Games, visit aeriagames.com.

DC Universe Online going free-to-play

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 12:53 PM PDT

Sony Online Entertainment has announced that DC Universe Online will be shifting to a free-to-play business model in October.

With the new model, “DCUO” will become available for free via download, and will offer three levels of accounts: Free, Premium, and Legendary. Free players will have access to all current content, two character slots, and leagues, but may have to purchase game packs or updates, additional character slots, or powers through the cash shop. Premium players are those who have spent at least $5 in the shop (or who have subscribed at some point in the past), which gain additional character and inventory slots, as well as higher in-game cash limits.  Legendary players are those who continue to have a subscription (at $14.99 a month) with full benefits and features.

Sony Online Entertainment also publishes EverQuest 2 and Free Realms.

dc_universe_online_evilstar

DC Universe Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

DC Universe Online Goes Free-To-Play in October for PlayStation®3 System and PC
Sony Online Entertainment Announces Three Access Levels for Popular Superhero Online Action Game

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) today announced a new free-to-play business model for its popular massively multiplayer online (MMO) game DC Universe Online (DCUO) — where players have the freedom to become legendary fighting alongside DC Comics icons like Superman , Batman and The Joker in an ever-evolving online action adventure that has already logged more than 42 million hours of super-powered gameplay action by players since its launch earlier this year.

Beginning late October, players will be able to download and access DCUO for free on both the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC. As part of this transition, SOE is introducing three new access levels to the game: Free, Premium and Legendary. All three levels will provide access to open world gameplay and missions, general game updates and fixes to the game, with each level offering different game options and benefits.

“When we launched DC Universe Online, we introduced a very different brand of massive online game driven by fast action combat to PC and PS3™gamers and with that, we discovered a new type of online gamer,” said John Smedley, President, Sony Online Entertainment. “We’ve listened to our community, and we’ve determined that the free-to-play model is the best fit for DC Universe Online.”

Smedley added, “Our philosophy embraces learning from our experience and as a pioneer in the free-to-play space with proven successful games like Free Realms and Clone Wars Adventures, we believe this new model will expand the DCUO experience and offer more options that cater to every type of player so they can play the game in a way that fits them.”

All three levels provide access to the current game, but allow differing tiers of convenience and flexibility. The levels are:

  • Free: New players will now have access to the current gameplay in DC Universe Online (including Gotham City, Metropolis, and all current raids and alerts), with the ability to create two characters, join a league and many other benefits. Free level players will be able to purchase downloadable game packs/updates, additional character slots, powers and more through microtransactions.
  • Premium: Any player who has spent at least $5 USD (including former paid subscribers and new players who have purchased $5 of in-game items) will qualify for the Premium access level. Premium level players will have more benefits available to them than the Free level player, including additional character slots, additional inventory slots, and higher cash limits. Downloadable adventure packs, additional character slots, and more can be purchased in-game.
  • Legendary: Maximum features and benefits are included at this level. Loaded with enhanced additional features, Legendary access will be available for a $14.99 USD monthly fee and includes all DLC packs at no cost, more than 15 character slots, more than 80 inventory slots, the ability to form unrestricted-sized leagues, and many other benefits.

More information on the DCUO free-to-play access levels can be found here: dcuniverseonline.com/free.

DC Universe Online combines immersive environments and fascinating story arcs with fast-paced, physics-based combat, allowing players to pick up buses and other objects in the environment, fly into the air and throw them at enemies; run up the sides of buildings to engage in melee brawls while shooting flames of fire from their hands; or cling to the side of buildings while using a grappling hook to pull flying opponents out of the sky – all while fighting alongside or against the legendary characters of DC Comics and charting their own path to legendary.

DC Universe Online is licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment on behalf of DC Entertainment. For more information about DC Universe Online, visit www.DCUniverseOnline.com.

Interview with Albert Liu, CEO of Gamania

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 11:56 AM PDT

It’s the middle of summer in Taiwan, and in a small brick building, representatives from several MMO websites (including MMOHut) are sitting on benches across from a group of Gamania’s executives and public relations representatives. In the center of them – beneath a Gamania Game Show backdrop – sits a man dressed in a black Giants t-shirt and camouflage cargo shorts. This man is Albert Liu, the CEO of Gamania, and he laughs lightly as he tells the room our seriousness is making him nervous. The truth is, we’re a little nervous too – it’s not very often you get to sit down and interview the CEO of a major gaming company in such an intimate setting.

Gamania, he explains, began as a small game company created because he was a game programmer out of a job in an industry that practically didn’t exist in Taiwan. From making small games like Convenience Store, Gamania then moved on to licensing games from other developers (namely NCSoft’s Lineage) to grow as a company. Licensing took off so well, Gamania shifted its focus to expanding internationally and developing internally. This is when Gamania built its own R&D (Research and Development) department to build its own games – the efforts of which we’ve seen not only in Lucent Heart, but in the upcoming games shown at the game show itself.

When asked what inspired Gamania to "go west" and enter the North American market, Mr. Liu explained that he wants the company to ultimately experience the same success as they have in Asia. This is being approached carefully though, with a "one step at a time" approach so that they can learn their market to reach this goal. However, Gamania doesn’t aim to be different from other East-to-West publishers, or even compete with them. Albert elaborates: there’s many things to learn from these publishers, citing NCSoft and Blizzard as particular inspirations. Instead, Gamania prefers to succeed by learning the market through each game released, learn from each player’s wants and needs, so they can learn from it and publish games that fit the western market.

ggs-mmohut-and-albert-liu

So what innovations would Gamania like to see in online gaming? Albert says that he’d like to combine mobile devices and MMORPGs in a way that’s more than just to get a pet or check your character information. Two ideas he conveyed included the ability to use a iPhone as a controller, or using an iPad to allow more than one person play at the same time. While these ideas are just imaginings at this point in time, we can expect Gamania to apply its experience with MMOs, mobile, and social gaming to new developments in the future.

It was a pleasure to speak with Albert Liu, and as he talked with each of us, there was an atmosphere of honesty and fun behind each answer. Gamania’s vision of its own future is aspiring, but laid with realistic plans and expectations. After two days at the Gamania Game Show, packed with demos and discussions of their new in-house development, we can definitely say the future looks promising so far.



The Gamania Game Show (GGS) took place this year on Sept 8 and Sept 9 in Taipei, Taiwan. Press from around the globe, including MMOHut, were invited to take a hands-on look at the game company’s four new games in development – Dream Drops, Langrisser Schwarz, Tiara Concerto, and Core Blaze – as well as other products.

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Black Prophecy community letter addresses known issues, item shop, and the future

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Screenshot -- Black Prophecy
Hold up just a minute there, space cowboy. Gamigo's Patrick Streppel has released a new community letter which addresses a few questions and grievances that have been raised by Black Prophecy players.

The letter first takes time to address some known issues with the game. Foremost of said issues is the acknowledgement that with the game's first major content update, many users began to experience large performance issues. Streppel states that fixing these issues is numero uno on the team's priority list, but that they "cannot promise immediate improvement" due to the fact that the source of the issue is "spread across several internal game systems."

Next up is the touchy subject of the item shop. Players have long decried the game's cash shop for being too expensive while simultaneously failing to give players an adequate description of what exactly they're spending their money on. In response, the team has lowered item prices and will proceed to alter item descriptions "in order to give [players] a clearer picture of what [they] are actually buying."

The letter then gives players a brief glimpse into the game's future. The next episode of the game features warzones, which are "a brand new PvP experience" allowing players to duke it out with the opposing faction for control of key territories. Conquering these warzones will grant players XP, rewards in the form of exclusive upgrade blueprints, and "greater individual and group powers" for the victorious faction.

For the full letter, which includes further details about the warzone system and more detailed discussions of the game's known issues, click on through the link below to the official forums.

MassivelyBlack Prophecy community letter addresses known issues, item shop, and the future originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP announces EVE Fanfest 2012 dates

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT

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EVE Online - fanfest drunkeness
CCP has just announced its plans for EVE Online's eighth annual Fanfest. The drunken buffoonery celebration will take place March 22nd through March 24th at the shiny new Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center in Reykjavik, Iceland.

CCP Tyr has posted the details on EVE's official website, and there's a loose itinerary that includes a poker tournament, a battle of the bands, chessboxing, and hey, there might even be some EVE- and Dust 514-related presentations and assorted tomfoolery if things go according to plan.

Tyr says that further info -- including flight, accomodation, and access pass availability -- will be forthcoming as the event draws closer.

MassivelyCCP announces EVE Fanfest 2012 dates originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Exclusive: SOE's John Smedley reveals F2P model for DC Universe Online

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 08:30 AM PDT

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DC Universe Online - Batman and Robin PvP
For those of us who lack Batman's financial resources, maintaining several monthly MMO subscriptions can be a challenge. Sony Online Entertainment recognizes this, and as a result, the company has just announced that DC Universe Online will be officially joining the freemium revolution toward the end of October.

The new business model will feature a familiar tiered access plan with three membership levels. The Free, Premium, and Legendary plans feature full access to the current game while offering different levels of "convenience and flexibility." Free players will be limited to two character slots, and new "downloadable game packs/updates, additional character slots, powers, and more" will be available for purchase via microtransactions.

Premium players, i.e., folks who have spent at least $5 US on the game (including former subscribers and in-game item purchasers), will receive additional character slots, inventory slots, and higher cash limits. Legendary players will take home "maximum features and benefits" including free DLC, more than 15 character slots, and more than 80 inventory slots, all for the regular $14.99 monthly fee. DCUO will also continue to be available on SOE's Station Pass (and subscribing to the monthly all-in-one service nets you Legendary status in DCUO as well as access to all of SOE's MMORPGs).

Finally, Massively sat down with SOE president John Smedley and producer Lorin Jameson to chat about the new model, and you can find that transcription after the break.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: SOE's John Smedley reveals F2P model for DC Universe Online

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: SOE's John Smedley reveals F2P model for DC Universe Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzard's Tom Chilton on World of Warcraft's patch 4.3 and beyond

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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Screenshot -- World of Warcraft
It may be hard to believe, but World of Warcraft's Cataclysm expansion has been out for the better part of a year now. All the while, players have been on a long and arduous adventure to defend the lands of Azeroth from the nefarious Deathwing and his minions. In an interview with Blizzard's Tom Chilton, Joystiq brings to light some details on the dragon's imminent demise, as well as a few insights on what players can expect from WoW's patch 4.3: Dragon Soul.

Chilton details the upcoming Transmogrification system, which allows players to customize the appearance of their gear by transferring one item's graphic to another. He also discusses the new Void Storage system, which grants increased storage space with the caveat that any item stored in the void will be stripped of all gems and enchantments.

The pièce de résistance of the whole affair is, of course, the final showdown with Deathwing himself. Players will have to traverse three separate five-man instances which will culminate in a huge battle which doesn't just feature Deathwing as the opponent; he's the battlefield as well.

But we don't want to give it all away, so head on over to Joystiq for the full, juicy interview.

MassivelyBlizzard's Tom Chilton on World of Warcraft's patch 4.3 and beyond originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MV Guide: September 19-25, 2011

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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Vanguard screenshot
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel.

Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During livestream events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule!

Continue reading MV Guide: September 19-25, 2011

MassivelyMV Guide: September 19-25, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Should games cut us off? [Updated]

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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Free Realms screenshot
Recently, Free Realms instituted a troubling feature for accounts belonging to minors. Parents began noticing that after they or their children played for three hours on an account flagged "minor," the interface announced that the player had entered "fatigue gaming time" and should log out to get some exercise for his health. Moreover, fatigue time reduced all in-game gains for the player by 50% and prevented him from completing quests and spinning the loot wheel.

Gamers erupted over what they saw as Sony Online Entertainment's attempt to intrude upon the parental domain, and the company has since rolled back this feature and stated it was "unintended." Still, other games have implemented similar features. What say you, Massively readers? Are you happy for games to nanny you (and your kids), or do you think they should mind their own business?

[Update: SOE contacted us to clarify that this feature is for the Chinese version only, as part of that government's Chinese Anti Indulgence System. It was accidentally included in the US version of the game briefly, hence the "unintended" statement. It's not in the US version of the game at this time.]

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: Should games cut us off? [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Week in Review: Long on snark

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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Guild Wars 2 image
At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. Miss a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week? You've come to the right post.

Fans of the Guild Wars 2 saga's shortest race were rewarded this week with five full days of love for the precocious Asura. ArenaNet supplied glimpses into the Asura's original Yoda-like design, their layer-cake art and architecture, their turbulent history, and their capital city (in video form). Finally, we were treated to a short story and an explanation for the Asura's ever-present, ever-amusing snark. Never be called a bookah again!

Check out this week's other top MMO stories and articles just past the break.

Continue reading Week in Review: Long on snark

MassivelyWeek in Review: Long on snark originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Too early to judge Incarna

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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EVE Evolved title image
Amidst talk of EVE Online's upcoming nullsec revamp, the Council of Stellar Management voiced legitimate concerns that CCP may not be assigning enough development time to in-space EVE features. Last year, CCP Zulu revealed that of over 400 developers at CCP Games, 124 were assigned to EVE Online. Of those, a whopping 70 were assigned to develop EVE's new avatar-based Incarna feature, several others were assigned to core technologies going into Incarna, and only 22 were focused on developing in-space features.

Last week I looked into the issue of EVE's development time being reduced over the years, but it has been pointed out to me that I largely dismissed the development time that went into Incarna as if it weren't development on EVE. This is a common line of thought among current veteran players, who typically don't care about Incarna and want time to be spent on in-space features instead. Incarna has eaten up a significant amount of development time for very little tangible benefit, but is it too early to judge the efficacy of this massive addition to EVE?

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at what the future may hold for Incarna and how the work invested so far may not become valuable to players until certain features hit.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Too early to judge Incarna

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Too early to judge Incarna originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Not exactly peaceful

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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Our final One Shots image comes from Massively reader Indigostorm, who has a strong appreciation for the danger inherent in this RIFT starting zone:
One of the major things that brought me to RIFT was the stunning graphics. This is my favorite view of the starting zone -- what is a screenshot without a death rift?! It is also the background for my Twitter account.
That's it for starting zone week here on One Shots, and we're ready to take to the skies! Show us your favorite aerial image -- whether it be taken from the ground looking up or from atop a high-flying mount, we want to see! Add your name and a little bit about the image, send it in to oneshots@massively.com, and we'll feature it in this week's One Shots!

MassivelyOne Shots: Not exactly peaceful originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: Crystal Saga

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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Crystal Saga screenshot
There's a lot to be said for automation. Thanks to automated processes, our society hums along more nicely than it ever has. But should we include our playtime on the list of things we want to automate? Is it possible to enjoy something like an MMO if we really don't control it at all? If we assemble our army men and wind them up, is watching them go as much fun as controlling what they do?

Ah, such deep questions stemming from such a simple game. Crystal Saga is a browser-based, free-to-play, Flash-based MMORPG (there's a mouthful) that allows players to do a lot of things, including fully automate the grinding process. I can hear the potential comments already, so click past the cut and let me explain it more.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Crystal Saga

MassivelyRise and Shiny recap: Crystal Saga originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online: Three years later

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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WAR
To this day, I don't know what quite came over me when I decided to throw my chips into the blogging scene to cover Warhammer Online, eight months before the game launched. Like many of you, I had been a long-time reader of MMO blogs, but I was intimidated at trying my hand at joining in, perhaps elevating these writers to the status of legendary wordsmiths who penned unequaled prose in our lifetimes.

Or I just didn't want to be one of a thousand World of Warcraft bloggers who dominated the scene. Just a thought.

In any case, it was a terrific decision to do so on my part. I found that I had a passion not only for MMOs but for talking about them, and I loved connecting with other writers and readers and players, which happens with blogging. I've been asked from time to time if I regret picking Warhammer Online as the game that I latched onto for a couple of years, and I always say no -- no regrets. The game was fun, but the coverage was an unparalleled rollercoaster of anticipation, hype, fun, speculation, promise, disappointment, and above all, ideas. Wonderful, flawed, captivating ideas.

I haven't touched WAR since 2010, so perhaps I'm not the best source for the latest and greatest in the game. But what I do have to offer is a humble blogger's perspective on what went right, what went wrong, and why I'm ultimately happy that WAR came into being and is chugging along on today, its third anniversary.

Continue reading Warhammer Online: Three years later

MassivelyWarhammer Online: Three years later originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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