General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Congress Uneasy, Somewhat Confused Regarding Amazon's Silk Browser

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 02:38 PM PDT

silkThe idea of Amazon's Silk browser, for the Kindle Fire is an intriguing one. By caching web assets ahead of time, Amazon hopes to accelerate the browsing experience. But running all user traffic through Amazon's EC2 cloud has made some privacy-minded people a little uneasy. Now members of Congress are starting to ask questions, and some of them are not totally ridiculous.

Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts sent a letter to Amazon asking for clarification on a number of points. He seeks the specifics about what data Amazon plans to store about user browsing habits, and what it plans to do with it. He also wonders about Amazon's disclosure of data collection to users, and if there will be an opt out. Amazon hasn't been too keen to release all the details yet, but the company has previously stated that usage data for Silk will be stored in aggregate, and no user identifications will be stored.

Rep. Joe Barton, however, seems a little more upset, and less sure of what's going on. Saying that his staff informed him that Amazon would be building its own servers that everyone would have to go through to use Amazon. He was further informed that Amazon would have everyone's data, to which he said, "Enough is enough." Do you think Amazon still has some explaining to do?

Missing Pirate Bay Defendant Found Guilty in Copyright Case

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 02:15 PM PDT

tpbBack in 2009, the Swedish courts handed down a conviction to the operators of The Pirate Bay. Those three defendants were each sentenced to one year in jail, as well as a $1.1 million fine for contributing to copyright infringement. The trio have been appealing their case ever since, but a fourth defendant was not included in the initial verdict. Co-founder Gottfrid Svartholm was apparently too ill to attend trial, so his case was suspended. Now, the Swedish courts have gotten tired of waiting

Svartholm's case was held without him, as no one was able to determine his current whereabouts. Svartholm was supposed to appear in court again last year, but he was reportedly in failing health, and hospitalized in Cambodia. Why Cambodia? Your guess is as good as ours. This new ruling by the appeals court upholds the guilty verdict for Gottfrid Svartholm, thus sentencing him in absentia. This ruling cannot be appealed.

Peter Sunde, one of the original defendants had harsh words for the court saying, "I think it's kind of strange putting a guy into jail because he's too sick to appear in court." Sunde also expressed concern that Svartholm may be dead, in which case the trial was unnecessary. 

Sunde and the other defendants are likely headed for the Swedish Supreme Court, where he predicts a victory. We also feel the need to point out that the original 2009 verdict may have been in favor of the entertainment industry, but The Pirate Bay seems to be chugging along just like always.

Google Finally Putting Buzz Out Of Its Misery

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 01:57 PM PDT

buzzIt was a little surprising that when Google+ launched, there was a section of posts from Google Buzz , the company's ill-fated Twitter clone. Google had all but abandoned Google Buzz, but today they actually got around to abandoning it for real. Google will be killing off Buzz, as well as few other products as part of what it calls "A fall sweep." 

In the next few weeks, Google will shut off the AOI and web interface for Buzz, ending the service. Instead, focus will be shifted exclusively to Google+. Buzz posts will still be visible on Google+ profiles, which seems very odd. After it's through killing Buzz, Google plans to take the axe to Google Code Search and Jaiku as well.

At this point, we're fairly sure that all the activity on Google Buzz is coming from bots. It's hard to see anyone still making use of the aborted social effort. Anyone out there still using Buzz?

Plextor Releases M2P Series Solid State Drive to Rule Them All

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 01:24 PM PDT

Remember Plextor? The name isn't thrown around as often as it once was, but Plextor's still out there, and cocky as ever. Take the new M2P Series solid state drive (SSD). Plextor says it's capable of sequential read and write speeds of up to 500MB/s and 440MB/s, respectively, which "clearly makes the M2P the fastest SSD currently available." Come again?

Other SSDs boast higher read and write speeds, but Plextor argues it's all about sustainable speed over the long haul, not just the numbers based on FOB (Fresh Out of the Box) benchmarks. The difference, according to Plextor, is its True Speed technology that delivers a high level of performance "even after extensive use and long periods of operation."

"Most performance information is overstated and does not reflect drastic decreases in performance that many drives undergo with use," Plextor said. "Plextor surpasses the industry norm by doing Enterprise Benchmark testing of consumer drives in a Dirty/Steady state to demonstrate sustained read/write performance."

The M2P brings a server grade Marvell 88SS9174 controller to the SSD party. Features include a SATA 6Gbps interface, "highest-quality Japanese NAND flash" by Toshiba, and exclusive firmware with Instant Restore, Global Wear Leveling, and Bad Block Management.

Plextor will ship the M2P in 128GB ($240) and 256GB ($450) capacities later this month.

Image Credit: Plextor

Cool Site of the Week: The Wirecutter

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 12:31 PM PDT

wirecutterAgainst all odds, you've got some extra cash on hand that you're able to use to invest in a gadget, computer, or other snazzy new piece of hardware. Unfortunately, thanks to the unscrupulous technobabble employed by marketers, similar feature sets, and the constantly shifting topography of the technological landscape, shopping for the piece of hardware that's best suited to your needs can be a nightmare. Fortunately, The Wirecutter is here to wake you up, stroke your hair and whisper that everything's gonna be OK. 

 The Wirecutter is a site designed with one mission in mind: Helping you to choose a gadget or device that suits your needs to a tee, no matter what your price range or needs may be. Covering a wide variety of hardware categories such as cameras, laptops, tablets, stereo receivers, TVs, and smartphones, the site provides consumers with metrics they can actually use. You'll find little talk of benchmarking here, but plenty of input on build quality, features, and cost versus value: all important factors to consider, no matter what kind of budget you're rocking. 

What's more, should The Wirecutter not cover a device or hardware peripheral you're in the market for, a number of tech pundit notables such as Brian Lam, Brian X. Chen, and Kyle VanHemert, are standing by ready to do their best to provide you with the answers you need to make your next purchase a smart one. Constantly updated, even handed, and easy to understand, The Wirecutter will keep tech aficionados coming back for more. 

Be sure to check in with us every Friday for another Edition of Maximum PC's Cool Site of the Week.

 

 

Amazon Prime Vs. Netflix: Head To Head

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 11:39 AM PDT

Remember when "Netflix" and "Streaming video" were virtually synonyms? Yeah, those were the days. Then, in the course of three disastrous months, Netflix jacked prices by 60 percent, announced it was splitting off the DVD business, and then announced that, no, actually, it was going to keep DVDs in house after all. The wacky moves sent investors fleeing like rats and confused customers looking for alternatives – alternatives like Amazon Prime Instant Video. The service offers unlimited streaming and Amazon has signed several new content deals since Prime Instant Video's launch in March. But is it a Netflix killer? Let's find out.

Catalog

 

When it comes down to it, it's all about the content. Who has more of what you want? It's not really much of a contest at this point, unfortunately. Although Amazon offers a massive 100,000 a la carte programs for download at $2 to $4 a pop, only around 10,000 of those are available for unlimited free streaming via Amazon Prime. Netflix plays coy with its exact streaming offering numbers, but we've found estimates ranging from 30,000 to 45,000 titles. Most titles available on Amazon are also available on Netflix, but not vice versa. Winner: Netflix

Pricing

 

Neither Netflix nor Amazon Prime breaks the bank. As everyone probably knows from the price hike outrage earlier in the year, a streaming subscription to Netflix costs $8/mo. for all the video you can watch. Amazon Prime Instant Video costs even less on a monthly basis – about $6.66 (ooh, spooky!) a month – but that's kind of deceiving; you'll have to pay a flat $80 up front to purchase a year's subscription to Amazon Prime. That $80 also includes free 2-day shipping on many Amazon purchases, though. Both offer a free 1-month trial. Winner: Amazon Prime

Image Quality

 

It's kind of hard to make a call on image quality because the speed of your Internet connection makes such a drastic difference. Netflix offers more HD content in general. In a head-to-head viewing test of "Star Trek Enterprise: Season 1: Broken Bow" in HD, Netflix's image quality looked slightly better overall and ran much more smoothly. We ran into repeated issues with Amazon Prime constantly bouncing our connection speed from the minimum to the maximum rating and back again, which resulted in stuttering playback and reduced image quality. Netflix (and Speedtest.net) didn't suffer from the same problem. Winner: Netflix

Device Compatibility

Amazon Instant Video (which Amazon Prime utilizes) certainly works on plenty of devices, including over 200 Internet-enabled HDTVs, tons of Blu-ray players, Roku, the Logitech Revue and – soon – the $200 Kindle Fire tablet. Even still, that's not a fraction of the device support offered by Netflix. In addition to HDTV and Blu-ray device support, Netflix ups the ante by streaming to home theater systems, Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 7 smartphones and tablets, tons of set-top boxes (like Boxee Box and Apple TV) and all the major video game consoles – including Nintendo's 3DS handheld.  Winner: Netflix

Future Prospects

Let's get the bad part out of the way first: in February 2012, all Sony and Disney movies will disappear from Netflix. Since the news broke, however, Netflix has inked deals with Dreamworks, the CW and AMC and says it plans to expand its TV programming. Amazon has deep pockets and recently signed contracts with Fox, CBS and NBC to bring more content to its service. It's looking like TV content providers seem more willing to dance with digital media than movie companies are, at least in the short term. Winner: Push

And the winner is… NETFLIX

Don't get us wrong, Amazon Prime Instant Video brings plenty of stuff to the table: its catalog and device support are nothing to sneeze at, and it's technically cheaper than Netflix over the course of a year. Unfortunately for Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, everything that Amazon Prime Instant Video does, Netflix does, too – and Netflix does it better. (Amazon's lack of a play queue doesn't help things, either.) Amazon Prime is doing great things for a streaming service that's less than a year old, but Netflix is still king of the hill.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution Review

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 11:18 AM PDT

Not quite a revolution, but pretty damn close

Deus Ex: Human Revolution gave us a game-over screen seconds after the opening credits, and we loved it. We were about to tiptoe into our first mission—deftly defusing a hostage crisis—when we encountered a trio of friendly SWAT guards. "Good guys," said our brain. "No can hurt," it concluded in caveman. There is, however, a certain comedic appeal in watching large objects bounce harmlessly off people's faces, so we assisted a nearby garbage can out of earth's pesky gravitational pull. THWACK. Immediately, the three future musketeers whipped out their firearms and turned us into cybernetically enhanced Swiss cheese. That's when we knew: It was love at first murder.

Human Revolution may sport a shiny, modern coat, but make no mistake: Underneath all the pretty lights and robo-sunglasses beats the heart of PC gaming's most revered classic. See, unlike other shooters, Human Revolution actually assumes you have a brain. So let's say the obvious paths to your goal—stealth, hacking, shooting, talking, punching holes in walls, and about a million other things—just aren't panning out. Well, why not try making your own Tower of Babel out of boxes and awkwardly scrambling right over your troubles? Where other games reply, "Invisible wall, filthy ground peasant," Human Revolution politely says, "Go right ahead."


Augmented arms? Awesome. Augmented eyes? Excellent. Augmented salivary glands? Ewwwww.

Really, that's Human Revolution in a nutshell. Sure, it's a series of linear missions—separated, mind you, by a few absolutely gorgeous hub areas—but you're granted an almost absurd degree of freedom within those bounds. Most games try to erect a giant baby pen around the experience—to say, "No, don't do this crazy/stupid/everyone's-on-fire thing because it's not precisely how we want you to play the game." Human Revolution, on the other hand, assumes that you will be crazy and stupid and set everything on fire. It gets you drunk on power, rolls out its finest red carpet, and says, "Here, vomit all your zaniest plans onto this."

And then everything goes horribly wrong. Even with solid shooting, a generally excellent cover system, and a dazzling array of super-powered "augments" to suit just about any play style imaginable, you'll still find yourself cornered and "augmented" with a few hundred extra subcutaneous bullets. In fact, truth be told, there's quite a bit of trial-and-error in Deus Ex. Each area is basically an extremely open-ended puzzle, and—odds are—you won't get it right on the first try. Occasionally, it's genuinely frustrating. A large part of the game's excellence, though, stems from that experimental spirit. Sure, you died, but what did you learn in the process? What did your brain sponge up—aside from bullets?

Hell, even Human Revolution's conversations will have your mind firing on all cylinders and your heart thumping out of your chest. These aren't simple "good or evil or snarky" affairs. You have to get inside people's heads—understand where they're coming from—or else, say, an innocent civilian might get their head blown off. In a way, these wars of words are almost boss fights, which makes the game's inclusion of actual boss fights all the more perplexing. Really, those four infuriating, keyboard-flinging encounters are the ugliest blemishes on an otherwise incredible game—especially if you're normally a stealth player. Other flaws like inconsistent AI and occasionally silly writing look positively minor by comparison.

That particularly painful belly flop aside, though, Human Revolution is one of our favorite games to come along in quite some time. It's that rare franchise revival that manages to nod knowingly in its predecessor's direction while boldly blazing new trails of its own. Gaming industry, take note: More of this, please.

$49, www.deusex.com, ESRB:M

Microsoft Wireless Desktop 2000 Review

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 11:18 AM PDT

A little encryption goes a long way

If you're like most of us, it's unlikely that hackers have much interest in intercepting what you're typing. Still, with schematics and software to build keyboard sniffers readily available, it's nice to know you're protected from ne'er-do-wells, and Microsoft aims to give you that sense of security with its Wireless Desktop 2000. While it won't keep your cubicle mate from looking over your shoulder, it does use 128-bit AES encryption to keep your keystrokes a secret and your paranoia at bay.

Foremost, the Wireless Desktop 2000 is a keyboard, and to this end, it features soft, chiclet-style keys set in a glossy black frame. It connects to your computer wirelessly with a stowaway USB dongle and has a full array of media keys for skipping through your music playlist, as well as shortcut keys for quick access to the first five apps pinned to your Favorites in Windows 7. The keyboard also has separate (but small) function keys and a texture wrist rest that's comfy enough for extended hours of typing. Microsoft found room on the board for a battery indicator light, but not for indicators associated with the Cap- and Num-Lock keys—you'll have to install the bundled IntelliType Pro software to get on-screen notifications about that sort of thing. It's a very simple keyboard made for an office environment—folks in the market for flashy lights or an ergonomic curve should look elsewhere.


With the Wireless Desktop 2000, Microsoft bring a touch of class to an office-bound keyboard.

The keyboard's headline security feature is 128-bit AES encryption, which is the minimum strength of encryption (highest is 256 bits). We were curious as to whether this encryption feature includes some sort of custom drivers to circumvent physical or software-based keyloggers, so we set up a simple experiment: We wrote some very incriminating emails with a KeeLog USB keylogger residing between the PC and the keyboard's wireless dongle. The keylogger managed to trace our every stroke, which confirmed our suspicions that the only protection this keyboard affords is between the dongle and the keyboard itself, so no outside sources can access what you're typing via a wireless sniffer. This is good if you're suspicious of your cubicle neighbors, but not so if there's something (or someone—eyebrow raise) logging your keystrokes internally.

The other half of the Wireless Desktop 2000 is a bare-bones optical mouse. The mouse isn't bad for basic office use, but we'd like to see Back and Forward side buttons on the mouse for Internet browsing. Also, the scroll wheel tends to get a little sticky after usage.

Neither the mouse nor the keyboard are especially well suited for gaming, but, of course, that's not what the Wireless Desktop 2000 is marketed for. For cubicle dwellers, the Wireless Desktop 2000 keyboard is a stylish, secure keyboard with plenty of productivity-enhancing hotkeys. One tip to you: If you want the keyboard, be prepared to splurge on a better mouse.

$40, www.microsoft.com

Researchers Use Table Salt To Increase Hard Drive Density Six-Fold

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 11:02 AM PDT

Think the 4TB hard drives hitting the market now are impressive? You're right. But one group of researchers say that's nothing compared to the storage capacities that could be unlocked using a new technique they've discovered. Dr Joel Yang and his team from the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering in Singapore claim that simply by adding table salt to an existing lithographic process, they have come up with a way of increasing the information density of HDDs six-fold. Basically, 6TB of info could fit onto today's 1TB platters.

Yang and his team use "an extremely high-resolution e-beam lithography process that produces super fine nano-sized structures" to create the high-density disks, the Institute's press release (PDF) says. The addition of sodium chloride to an existing, unnamed lithographic solution lets the crew "produce highly defined nanostructures down to 4.5 nm half pitch" – without an equipment upgrade.

That precision allows the team to arrange the nanoscopic magnetic grains on the disks in a tightly-packed pattern, as opposed to the random splattering of grains found on standard HDDs. Whereas standard HDDs have an information density of around 0.5 terabits/sq. in., Yang's refined process has created disks with densities up to 3.3 terabits/sq. in. However, the number is a bit deceiving; while 3.3 terabit/sq. in. disks have been fabricated, the crew has "only" demonstrated data-storage capabilities in disks with 1.9 terabits/sq. in.

Could The Kindle Fire Outsell All Honeycomb Tablets Combined By The End Of The Year?

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 10:25 AM PDT

Just how big could the $200 Kindle Fire be when it launches next month? Pretty friggin' big. Not "Bigger than the iPad" big – at least not yet – but some sales forecasts and thought-provoking, yet unofficial calculations by an Android developer show that the Fire and its custom Android 2.3 interface could own a bigger slice of the market pie than all Android Honeycomb tablets combined before the end of the year.

First, the easy part: an analyst from Rodman & Renshaw told CNET yesterday that record preorders for the Kindle could very well leave Amazon with over 5 million of the tablets shipped by the end of the year – and that's not even counting the other, cheaper versions. Sales are expected to increase even more once the Fire actually hits the streets on November 15th.

Then, there's Honeycomb tablets. A dev by the name of Al Sutton did some quick math and came up with some interesting numbers after hearing Google head Larry Page say that there are 190 million Android devices out there in the wild, a number Page threw down in yesterday's earnings calls with investors.  Engadget reports that Sutton checked the Android Developers website, which shows that only 1.8 percent of all Android gadgets that have tapped into the Android Marketplace in the past two weeks run Honeycomb.  Running the numbers, that boils down to approximately 3.42 million tablets running Honeycomb . Of course, two-weeks isn't the largest sampling frame, but the calculation is food for thought, nonetheless.

And the iPad? The same CNET article says Apple pushes 12 million of the tablets every quarter.  So what do you guys think? Will the Kindle Fire's low price point push it past Android Honeycomb's limited sales success in the tablet market?

MMO News

MMO News


Nexon releases Sudden Attack website

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 03:17 PM PDT

As part of the game’s transition from GameHi to Nexon, Nexon has now released the official site for Sudden Attack (available at http://www.nexon.net/games/#/sa).

The game will begin its official service with Nexon on November 16 in North America, Oceania, and Europe. The migration will also include new gameplay improvements, and should expand the game’s playerbase through the Nexon portal of games.

Nexon also publishes Combat Arms and Dragon Nest.

sudden-attack-throw-grenade

Sudden Attack Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Nexon to Unleash Sudden Attack

Nexon America launches new website for Sudden Attack, as it prepares to integrate the FPS into its game catalogue

Nexon America, the leading publisher of online microtransaction-based games, will be integrating Sudden Attack, an online first-person shooter (FPS) developed by GameHi into its service starting next month. As part of this integration, Nexon is opening up a new website today for fans of Sudden Attack at www.Nexon.net/games/#/sa.

Nexon will begin publishing and servicing Sudden Attack in North America, Oceania and Europe on November 16. Sudden Attack, one of the world's largest online shooters, is known for its raw, intense and fast-paced action. Previously operated by GameHi in North America, the service migration to Nexon's platform will introduce several gameplay improvements, expand the player base to include vast new audiences from around the world and pave the way for exciting new content.

For more information about Sudden Attack's migration, players can visit the Sudden Attack teaser site which launched today: www.Nexon.net/games/#/sa.

Prius announces next expansion

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 12:29 PM PDT

The next expansion for Prius Online has been announced. Stronghold of the North will launch on October 26.

The update will raise the level cap from 60 to 70, introducing 500 new quests for all players, several new zones, and a new major hub, known as Himes. Three new dungeons will join the new content as well: Regna Castrum, Void Tower, and Lake Garden. These dungeons are designed to be the most challenging to date.

Prius is published by gPotato, which also publishes AIKA Online and Allods Online.

Prius Online: Stronghold of the North Screenshots:

Source:

Prius Online: Stronghold of the North Coming October 26

The Latest Update to Introduce More Levels, More Dungeons, and More Features

Sunnyvale, Calif.  – October 14th, 2011 Bitter cold and powerful bestias await only the most fearless players in Prius Online's newly unveiled update – Stronghold of the North.  With an extended level cap, the addition of a completely new region to an already far-reaching world, and three entirely new dungeons, this expansion will begin challenging Prius' chosen warriors on October 26th.

The lush jungles and harsh flames of Prius' central continent are nothing compared to the unbearable cold of the northern expanse.  Stronghold of the North extends the world map, adding several new zones and the great fortress of Himes, a major hub for those searching for more challenging monsters or the rarest herbs and ores.  To combat these new trials and prepare adventurers for the bestias that roam behind the battlements, the level cap will be increased to from 60 to 70.  To further complement this, 500 new quests will be scattered throughout Prius for all players to enjoy.

The snowy biome will also be the gateway to three new dungeons, each with its own unique design and perils.  These dungeons – Regna Castrum, Void Tower, and Lake Garden – have been specifically designed to be far more complex than any others to date.  Players must be sure to avoid underestimating the dangers that wait, lest they miss out on the valuable new items hidden inside.

Learn more about the forthcoming update and other Prius news by visiting the official Prius Online website at:  http://prius.gpotato.com/ You can also find Prius on Facebook and Twitter!

Karma Online to launch one-month anniversary update

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 11:08 AM PDT

Karma Online, Joymax’s newest MMOFPS, will celebrate its one-month anniversary with a major update.

On October 18, the update will introduce two new characters: Ahmet Kurtulus (Axis) and Dominic Williams (Allies), both of which feature new builds. New maps will include the Loading Docks and Cappadocia. Also being introduced is an AI system for Deathmatch, a new clan matching system, and a Gatcha Shooting Range. Finally, new weapons will be introduced (along with some updates to existing weapons), including a full Gold weapons line.

Joymax also publishes Silkroad Online.

karma-online-pod-screen

Karma Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

KARMA ONLINE: PRISONERS OF THE DEAD TO LAUNCH HUGE CONTENT PATCH FOR
ONE-MONTH ANNIVERSARY

New Characters, Added Maps, Updated Weapons and More!

Seoul, Korea, October 14, 2011 – Joymax, a leading online game
developer and publisher, announced that it will celebrate the one
month anniversary of their first-person shooter World War II game,
Karma Online: Prisoners of the Dead, with a bang! Starting October 18,
players can visit the historical Cappadocia, armed with new weapons
while playing new characters. To learn more about the game, players
can visit http://www.joymax.com/karma/

“KARMA continues to grow in a global market, and we’re excited to be
reaching out to our players in Turkey and other regions,” said Joymax
CEO, Nam-chul Kim.  ”We’ve proven Prisoners of the Dead is a truly
international service that keeps pace with the most demanding FPS
users.”

Two new characters will be added to the ranks of Axis and Allies: Ahmet
Kurtulus a fanatical Turkish soldier, and Dominic Williams, an
American patriot.  These characters will have unique attributes,
allowing for new builds not seen before in the game.  These two
characters are the perfect fit for the new maps now also available.

The loading docks will challenge players with multiple hiding spots -
both for allies and foes to be sitting, waiting for an ambush.  Or,
take a “relaxing” stroll around the Turkish region of Cappadocia – a
map modeled off of real world geography, perfect for a fire fight to
the death!

KARMA players will also enjoy new game content, including an AI mode
for the Deathmatch system, allowing players and clans to practice
teamwork and strategies as well as sing play, while perfecting their
movements.  The clan matching system allows for players of equal skill
level to be paired together for the most intense clan matches to be
seen in the game yet.  This is all in addition to the Gatcha shooting
range, which allows players to obtain at random rare and unique
weapons that are permanent.

Multiple weapons will also be added or updated, including the Madsen,
Johnson, and a full GOLD weapons line including the MP40, STG44, and
Kar98k.  The cash shop now also stocks the AKS-74, CAMO M4A1, and the
popular Karabella.

S4 League Gameplay HD

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 10:31 AM PDT

To Learn More about the game check out our S4 League Page.

S4 League is a fast paced 3D Sci-fi themed MMO shooter published by Alaplaya – the same company behind Land of Chaos Online, Florensia, Audition Online, Argo Online, Fantasy Tennis, Forsakia and numerous other F2P titles. The game is brightly colored and is one of the most unique MMO shooters out there. Gameplay wise S4 League plays a lot like GunZ from ijji. To learn more about S4 League check out the official MMOHut S4 League page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

Requiem launches major update

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 09:44 AM PDT

Requiem has launched a major new content update, designed to offer new content for high-level players.

The update raises the level cap up to 85, and adds new second job skills, equipment, weapons, and quests. A new premium dungeon (Nova Lux) and treasure dungeon (Numaren) make their introduction as well. In addition to the new content, all races and jobs have undergone a job skill rebalancing, and the DNA system has been expanded.

Requiem is published by Gravity Interactive (WarpPortal), which also publishes Ragnarok Online and Dragon Saga.

requiem-prisoner.jpg

Requiem Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

REQUIEM ONLINE'S NEWEST CONTENT UPDATE NOW GOES LIVE

"The world of Ethergia will never be the same!"

MARINA DEL REY, Calif. (October 14, 2011) – WarpPortal's dark fantasy MMORPG REQUIEM releases the newest content update today! Level cap increase, new weapon and armor sets, and new dungeons will be available to players as they take on new quests while developing new job skills to fight against terrifying enemies. More information can be found at www.playrequiem.com

Highlighted features of this update include:

  • Level cap increase from 79 to 85.
  • Job skill re-balance and changes to every race and job.
  • New 2nd job skills added to each class.
  • New equipment and weapon sets including multiple armor sets added.
  • Nova Lux premium dungeon and Numaren treasure dungeon are open.
  • New quests with DNA points.
  • DNA expansion and supplement update.

"We hope everyone enjoys contents we have added and changes we have made" states Casey Wing, Producer for Requiem North America. "Many of the contents were in direct response to comments that our users have given us so far, and most importantly, we also made sure that this update is filled with action, adventure, dark fantasy/horror themes and more of the bloody gore that made Requiem a unique MMO for you to enjoy!"

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


GDC Online 2011: A nostalgia trip with the original EverQuest team

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , ,

This year, GDC Online presented the Hall of Fame award to SOE's classic EverQuest. The game is currently 12 years old, and as legendary presenter Richard Garriott put it, "It perfected the commercial genre" of MMO games. Several members of the original team attended the awards ceremony, and Massively was honored to have a chance to sit and speak with them. Even if you aren't an old school vet, you'll enjoy this trip down memory lane with Brad McQuaid, John Smedley, and the rest of the team. Read on for highlights from the interview.

Continue reading GDC Online 2011: A nostalgia trip with the original EverQuest team

MassivelyGDC Online 2011: A nostalgia trip with the original EverQuest team originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Repopulation influenced by UO and SWG

    Posted: 14 Oct 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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    The Repopulation - Is that Tatooine?
    Searching for more info on the new indie sandbox called The Repopulation? If so, check out an interview with Above & Beyond Technologies' creator J.C. Smith at Quick Jump.

    The piece covers a lot of ground, and Smith talks about everything from inspiration for the sci-fi title to the current state of the cluttered MMO market. "I think this market still has room for growth, and that the main reason we see some of these titles as failures is due to elevated expectations and bloating budgets," Smith explains.

    What's going to set The Repopulation apart, then? That's a much longer answer, and portions of it will no doubt set sandbox fans' hearts aflame. "
    We probably drew more influence from Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies than we have from any other MMOs," Smith says. "To me, UO was what I expected from an MMOG."

    MassivelyThe Repopulation influenced by UO and SWG originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    GDC Online 2011: Raph Koster speaks on the gamification of real life

    Posted: 14 Oct 2011 09:00 AM PDT

    Filed under: , , ,

    Raph Koster - sock puppet
    Raph Koster spoke at the recently concluded GDC Online 2011, and if the summary on Gamasutra is any indication, his message was somewhat mixed.

    Unsurprisingly, the former sandbox maestro (and current social gaming evangelist) had a lot of positive things to say about Facebook. On the other hand, he said that going too far down the accessibility road can lead to "bad art."

    He also opined that "design is about constraining people," but that games still have the potential for player creativity, and that Facebook has more user-generated content than games or virtual worlds. If you're confused yet, you're not alone, as Koster also mentioned something about wizards, magic circles, and his belief that the world is becoming more game-like (and thus there's no one better to shape it than game developers). "Let's watch out not to let the pointsification and rulesification, quantification, and reductionism that we have always loved about what we do -- let's not let that change who we are," Koster said.

    Check out his notes and slides from the talk via his blog, linked below.

    MassivelyGDC Online 2011: Raph Koster speaks on the gamification of real life originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Star Trek Online dev blog clarifies free-to-play currency trades

    Posted: 14 Oct 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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    Star Trek Online title image
    Ever since Cryptic announced that Star Trek Online is going free to play, developers have published regular "Path to F2P" dev blogs discussing upcoming changes designed to restructure the game for its new payment scheme. In the latest dev blog in the series, STO Executive Producer Stephen D'Angelo looks at the in-game economy and how going free-to-play will affect the various currencies in use.

    Energy credits will be used for practically everything encountered in normal gameplay, functioning like gold in most fantasy MMOs. Players can expect to use energy credits every time they play, and receive them as rewards. Dilithium will be used by hardcore players to get high-end gear, but the average casual player will never need it in significant quantities. Cryptic points will be reserved for cash shop items like new ships, but Cryptic aims to let players trade their cryptic points to other players for dilithium.

    When the system goes live, players will be able to grind for dilithium in order to buy cash shop items without paying cash. At the same time, hardcore players will be able to short-cut the dilithium grind and quickly obtain high-end equipment with an injection of cryptic points. This system mirrors the diamond trade in Runes of Magic and the PLEX trade in EVE Online, both systems that have proven highly effective at allowing cash-rich players to shortcut grind and letting time-rich players play their way to everything the game has to offer.

    MassivelyStar Trek Online dev blog clarifies free-to-play currency trades originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Square-Enix announces end of Final Fantasy XIV's free play and roadmap for next year

    Posted: 14 Oct 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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    Just the tip of the iceberg.
    The latest patch for Final Fantasy XIV brought some major changes with it, but there are more coming. In a new series of announcements, Square-Enix announced that the unbilled period of the game will be coming to a close between late November and early December in recognition of the large-scale work done by Naoki Yoshida and the game's team. But the announcement was more far-reaching than that -- no, the entire game is going to undergo a major process of changes well through next year, including a graphical engine and UI overhaul as well as major changes to the game's maps.

    Several design documents have been posted along with this update, making it clear that the changes will be observed and influenced by players taking part in content during this time period. And these changes will be massive -- the new UI will not only look much cleaner but also be able to support player add-ons. With a promised redesign of maps, changes to the landscape, the upcoming PlayStation 3 version, and major updates to the battle system and armoury system, it's going to be very busy over the next few months as Final Fantasy XIV moves toward version 2.0.

    MassivelySquare-Enix announces end of Final Fantasy XIV's free play and roadmap for next year originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Daily Grind: Is your glass half empty or half full?

    Posted: 14 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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    Mortal Online had an awesome launch
    Sometimes we're willing to overlook release-day problems in light of other features that we love in a new MMO. When Fallen Earth launched, I loved the premise so much, I turned a blind eye to the rubber-banding mobs and other severe lag issues. What? It's a teleporting prairie chicken. It could happen in the wasteland! Let me hit it with the business end of a street sign! It'll stop moving!

    Fallen Earth is only one example (and not even close to the worst), but especially at launch, our favorite MMOs are rarely problem-free. Some players are willing to skip over those problems to enjoy the new shiny, while others won't tolerate these games unless all problems are fixed immediately.

    Of course, the issue of fixing problems in our MMOs is important, but we're curious about your typical reaction to launch-day problems. Do you give the devs the benefit of the doubt and a certain grace period, or do you head straight for the forums on day one with a list of demands. Let us know!

    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: Is your glass half empty or half full? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      SOE releases second PlanetSide 2 short story

      Posted: 13 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

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      PlanetSide 2 - Vanu concept art
      Sony Online Entertainment is kicking the publicity machine for PlanetSide 2 into high gear lately. The only problem is that all the PR has nothing to do with the actual game.

      Yes, shooters can have lore (Global Agenda has quite an extensive backstory, for example), and SOE seems determined to keep its Forgelight-powered MMOFPS in the news without revealing much more about the mechanics. The latest salvo comes courtesy of celebrated comic scribe Marv Wolfman, who is busily creating PlanetSide 2's factional history via a series of short story vignettes. Today's reveal, the second in a series, centers on characters from the Vanu Sovereignty, some of whom buy into the faction's zealotry. "Today we have declared our Sovereignty, a Vanu Sovereignty. Only one force can live on Auraxis, and it must be us," one of them declares.

      You can read the full text at the official PlanetSide 2 website, and don't forget to check out our exclusive Wolfman interview from earlier this week.

      MassivelySOE releases second PlanetSide 2 short story originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Wakfu unveils the nation of Sufokia

      Posted: 13 Oct 2011 09:30 PM PDT

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      Screenshot -- Wakfu
      Players of the upcoming tactical MMORPG Wakfu will be able to visit all sorts of interesting, exotic places. One such location is the freshly announced Sufokia. The paradisiacal archipelago is not all sunshine and shining seas; it holds its fair share of dangers, like the irritable Albatrocious and the deadly Zordfish.

      Sufokia will be available for players to experience in the next beta patch. If you're not in the closed beta and would like to jump in and see what the big deal about this uniquely strategic MMO is, just head on over to the official site and register for an account.

      [Source: Ankama Games press release]

      MassivelyWakfu unveils the nation of Sufokia originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Star Trek Online's free-to-play starships prepare to leave spacedock

        Posted: 13 Oct 2011 09:00 PM PDT

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        Star Trek Online
        As Star Trek Online's free-to-play final frontier approaches, the Cryptic team is fast at work trying to strike the right balance between the standard-issue starships that come with the game and the C-Store options available for purchase. In a new dev blog, Executive Producer Stephen D'Angelo says that each rank of gameplay is being shuffled around to offer a regular and premium starship for each class.

        Because not every tier had enough for six starships, Cryptic is adding a number of spiffy C-Store versions for Federation players, including the new Exeter cruiser, the Sao Paulo escort, and the Bellerophon science vessel. The Klingon Defense Force is receiving a similar restructuring, with new ships like the Norgh Refit and Orion Dacoit Flight Deck Cruiser making their way into the store. D'Angelo admits that C-Store starships are slightly stronger and carry a special piece of gear that can be transferred from ship to ship as the player levels up.

        D'Angelo also stresses that any C-Store starships are purchased for an entire account, not a single character. Cryptic is also planning to re-instate the free starship token at Lt. Commander and Commander ranks for everyone.

        MassivelyStar Trek Online's free-to-play starships prepare to leave spacedock originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        THQ says WAR40K release date, features list is 'pure speculation'

        Posted: 13 Oct 2011 08:30 PM PDT

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        WAR40K
        Mass conspiracy? Over-eager fans? Or deliberate misinformation? No matter what the case, it turns out that recent information about Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium Online was not passed down by THQ itself, and these "facts," such as the launch date and class list, should be treated as speculative rumors and nothing more.

        THQ sent a letter to several media outlets clarifying the situation:
        It has come to THQ's attention that some media are reporting that we've announced game details and a release date for our upcoming massively multiplayer online project, Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online. At this time THQ has not officially announced a release date and any reported features are pure speculation. THQ will announce confirmed game features and an official release date at a later time.
        We will keep an eye on this title and the news coming out of THQ as it develops.

        MassivelyTHQ says WAR40K release date, features list is 'pure speculation' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The MMO Report: Angular blocky dragons edition

          Posted: 13 Oct 2011 08:00 PM PDT

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          The MMO Report
          This week on The MMO Report ("where Steve Jobs is an exalted Buddhist saint of secular humanism"), Casey Schreiner chats about Neverwinter's new status as a full MMO, PlanetSide 2's famed story-writer, and Fallen Earth's long journey to the land of F2P. He also discusses Star Wars: The Old Republic's companion features and Minecraft's impending November 18th release (you can "waste your time chasing angular, blocky dragons" until then).

          Finally, Casey allows his ego to be inflated by Uncle Casey's Mailbag and announces he's headed to a geeky event to which he'll bring "a picnic basket, six changes of pants, four boxes of Kleenex, and one candy cigarette." You'll just have to tune in past the cut to find out where.

          Continue reading The MMO Report: Angular blocky dragons edition

          MassivelyThe MMO Report: Angular blocky dragons edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Champions Online offers temporary free premium archetypes

          Posted: 13 Oct 2011 07:30 PM PDT

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          Champions Online
          If you're a Silver-tier Champions Online player who's always wanted to play a premium archetype but can't quite scrounge up the coin, furbish up your superhero tights and get ready to roll a new character. Cryptic Studios has today announced a limited-time promotion that allows free players to test out selected pay archetypes for the grand total of absolutely nothing.

          The Savage archetype is first up; he's accessible for seven days starting today, followed by a week each for the Void, the Master, the Inventor, the Tempest, and the Devastator. If you roll a character to try out the weekly premium archetype, you can either retrain him as the next trial archetype (or any other free or previously purchased archetype) or pony up for the premium one after you've tested him out in person.

          As an added bonus, Cryptic is offering all players a free character slot -- just log in between October 14th and November 3rd and claim yours through the C-Store's "bonus" tab.

          MassivelyChampions Online offers temporary free premium archetypes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Eligium using Facebook to start the beta push

          Posted: 13 Oct 2011 07:00 PM PDT

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          Perhaps the game is based around green-skinned women posing with monsters?
          Earlier this year, Frogster announced its upcoming new MMO, Eligium - The Chosen One. But before you can test yourself in the game to see if you are in fact the figure of destiny referred to in the title, there's a much more functional test that has to take place. Specifically, the beta test. Yes, the official site has opened up registration with the alluring call of securing your beta access.

          To help drum up the game on social media, the game's Facebook page is the nexus of the beta push; players who choose to Like the game and comment spurring more beta invitations being sent out. Of course, you can't get invited if you don't register, can you? While the solid details on the gameplay are still a bit sketchy, if you'd like to see what the developer of Runes of Magic is working on this time, you should probably head over to Facebook and start commenting.

          [Thanks to Piaskowy for the tip!]

          MassivelyEligium using Facebook to start the beta push originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          City of Heroes adding a haunted house to the Halloween event

          Posted: 13 Oct 2011 06:30 PM PDT

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          Here's the plan - we say trick or treat, then we blast everyone with lightning and take all the candy.
          In a game all about creating colorful costumes, you might expect that Halloween would be a major holiday. And for years that's been the case in City of Heroes, with a special costume slot only available via taking part in the event. But this year it's time to bring back something that's long been missing from the holiday event by instilling a sense of terror. There's a new part to the event now, Dr. Kane's House of Horror, and it's going live on the servers on October 20th.

          Accessed via the Team-up Teleporter, the house will be a cooperative venture for four players between 15-50, with heroes and villains alike seeking to prevent Dr. Kane from unleashing the unquiet dead upon the world. That's in addition to the usual festivities for the event, which include costume slots and zombie invasions across the game world. With City of Heroes Freedom in full effect, everyone can enjoy the celebration this year, even if you might not make it out of the new haunted house in one piece.

          MassivelyCity of Heroes adding a haunted house to the Halloween event originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Returning EVE players receive discount as part of CCP apology

          Posted: 13 Oct 2011 06:15 PM PDT

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          EVE Online title image
          Last week CCP Games proved that it's still an indie studio at heart when CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson issued a formal letter of apology to the entire EVE Online community. In the letter, he admitted that development had been purposefully shifted away from the in-space features players wanted. He went on to take full responsibility for the ensuing drama surrounding the forced early release of Incarna and the fumbled cash shop introduction. Hilmar then laid out plans to turn EVE's development around and set it back in a direction that current players will appreciate.

          Today CCP continued show its commitment to this new development direction with a special reactivation offer for returning players. Most account-holders whose subscriptions lapsed during or before the Summer drama have been sent an email offering a special rate of $4.95 US for 30 days of subscription time. While reactivation offers like these are commonplace, this offer made a point of CCP's new-found direction and contained this concise quote from EVE's senior producer Arnar Gylfason: "A significant part of that plan is the immediate refocusing of all the EVE development teams on EVE's core gameplay: spaceships."

          [Source: Reactivation discount email]

          MassivelyReturning EVE players receive discount as part of CCP apology originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            LEGO Universe offers $15,000 US in prizes in the Nexus Force Championships

            Posted: 13 Oct 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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            LEGO Universe title image
            Given the age of the average MMO gamer, it's safe to say most of us grew up with the amazing creative freedom of LEGO. The LEGO franchise has given rise to countless computer games over the years, including kid-friendly MMORPG LEGO Universe. The game recently went free-to-play, and now a huge contest has been released to encourage people to give the game a try.

            The eight-week-long Nexus Force Championships start today, challenging players to win as many in-game events and contests as possible before December 8th. Participants will collect points for winning contests and events in a bid to win some truly massive prizes. The single player with the highest number of points at the end of the eight weeks will win around $5,000 US worth of LEGO sets and a new laptop. In total, over $15,000 US of prizes will be given out during the event.

            [Source: LEGO Universe Press Release]

            MassivelyLEGO Universe offers $15,000 US in prizes in the Nexus Force Championships originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Secret World dev diary video delves into The Secret War

            Posted: 13 Oct 2011 05:45 PM PDT

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            Screenshot -- The Secret World
            Time to don your tin-foil hats, conspiracy theorists. It's time once again to delve into the mysteries of The Secret World. Funcom has released a new developer diary video outlining The Secret War, which is the PvP component of the upcoming horror title.

            We got our first look at the PvP aspect of the game back in August at PAX Prime. This is the first time, however, that we have video to show players just what they can expect from the three-faction paranormal brawls. The video highlights both small-scale PvP, such as the game's Stonehenge and El Dorado battlefields, and the game's large-scale, persistent PvP. For the full video, click on past the cut.

            Continue reading The Secret World dev diary video delves into The Secret War

            MassivelyThe Secret World dev diary video delves into The Secret War originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Dark Millennium Online has conflict of interest with potential Space Marine sequel

            Posted: 13 Oct 2011 05:30 PM PDT

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            Warhammer 40k title image
            If you've been waiting for the upcoming Warhammer 40k MMO Dark Millennium Online, you may have checked out recent single-player title Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine. In an interview on the two games with Shacknews last night, THQ's VP of Core Games Danny Bilson described a potential conflict of interest between the upcoming MMO and any potential Space Marine sequel. When asked whether the single-player title deserved a sequel, Bilson described an interesting creative overlap between the game and its upcoming MMO counterpart.

            Revealing that the MMO would contain more action-based gameplay than the MMO norm, Bilson painted a picture of Dark Millennium Online as an online spiritual successor to Space Marine but with the other 40k factions similarly explored. "It may be that the next iteration of Space Marine is a much bigger universe, where if you love Space Marines you can play that way," he told Shacknews, adding that "there was a creative overlap going on with Dark Millennium Online's development" and "there's not room in the world for that overlap."

            MassivelyDark Millennium Online has conflict of interest with potential Space Marine sequel originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Behind the Mask: Practical indestructibility

            Posted: 13 Oct 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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            Champions Online screenshot
            It's not very commonplace to showcase a single build on Behind the Mask. In fact, aside from the Archetypes, I've never directly addressed any of the millions of build options in Champions Online. However, one build in particular has garnered a lot of attention lately. It's infamous for its incredible survivability, and many people consider it the benchmark of all builds. The main permutation of the build is Invul/dodge, but the core idea is using layered defenses to ramp up survivability to ridiculous levels.

            This week, we'll cover what Invul/dodge is, how it works, and some popular variants. We'll also discuss its limitations and counters. While Invul/dodge is probably the most situationally durable build in the game, it has its weaknesses. Some players might delude you into thinking that Invul/dodge is good at everything, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

            Continue reading Behind the Mask: Practical indestructibility

            MassivelyBehind the Mask: Practical indestructibility originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Patch notes for Final Fantasy XIV's 1.19a update unveiled

              Posted: 13 Oct 2011 04:30 PM PDT

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              No one expects the Immortal Flames!  Or the patch release.
              Patch 1.19 is still fresh in the minds of every Final Fantasy XIV player; it was a big change for the game that ushered in a lot of welcome additions and improvements. But not quite everything was ready for prime time when the patch went live, leading to the promise of a patch 1.19a with a few more features. With the patch having just gone live, patch notes for 1.19a have understandably been released, and the latest notes should continue to make players happy with several further updates beyond the obvious elements held over from 1.19.

              Aside from the addition of the third beastman stronghold and the implementation of levequest history evaluations, the patch will bring the long-desired feature by which the game remembers your bar layouts when you switch classes rather than forcing you to re-arrange bars each time. There have also been several bugfixes and price reductions on several vendor-sold items across the cities. While this latest bridging patch won't be the game-changer of its predecessor, it should still be welcome when the servers come back online from the patch process.

              MassivelyPatch notes for Final Fantasy XIV's 1.19a update unveiled originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Ask Massively: Alan Smithee edition

              Posted: 13 Oct 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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              The great irony is that a film about a man named Alan Smithee itself got an Alan Smithee.
              Alan Smithee is not a real person. Or to be more accurate, he's several real people. The name was used for several years by directors of films when it could be proven that the director's vision for the film had been undone by editing and overhead pressures. Essentially, it was a way for a director to wash his hands of a project so as not to associate his name with something that was released to the public in a form that bore no resemblance to what he had created.

              That's not a photo of Alan Smithee; it's a photo of a funicular credited to Smithee. It's the best I could do.

              Unlike last week's column, this week's edition is about far less weighty manners, instead discussing candidates for potential free-to-play adventures in response to a very large question from a long-time reader. As always, questions may be mailed to ask@massively.com or left in the comments for inclusion in a future edition of Ask Massively.

              Continue reading Ask Massively: Alan Smithee edition

              MassivelyAsk Massively: Alan Smithee edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                GDC Online 2011: RIFT's Scott Hartsman on surviving and thriving in today's MMO climate

                Posted: 13 Oct 2011 03:30 PM PDT

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                Scott Hartsman
                Recently, we took time to look back on the past six months of RIFT's milestones, and this year at GDC Online, Trion CCO and RIFT Executive Producer Scott Hartsman sat down for a question-and-answer session to do the same thing. While we've seen the results of Trion's post-launch efforts, Hartsman gave a candid glimpse at what was going on behind the scenes as the team finished up beta and moved toward launch day. He took questions from N'Gai Croal, as well as from the audience, and highlights from the interview follow after the break.

                Continue reading GDC Online 2011: RIFT's Scott Hartsman on surviving and thriving in today's MMO climate

                MassivelyGDC Online 2011: RIFT's Scott Hartsman on surviving and thriving in today's MMO climate originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Blizzard auctioning off retired WoW servers for charity

                  Posted: 13 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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                  World of Warcraft server
                  What do you do when you upgrade your MMO's servers and end up with a bunch of hardware you don't need any longer? If you said, "Hold the world's geekiest garage sale," then you're absolutely right.

                  Recently Blizzard upgraded its fleet of World of Warcraft servers and has decided that instead of mothballing the old ones, it will auction them off and donate the proceeds to a worthy charity. The auctions will be handled by eBay, as any interested parties can place a bid on the actual server shard that hundreds of thousands of players used for years.

                  Each of the auctioned server blades is a self-contained unit and will have the World of Warcraft logo emblazoned across it, with a plaque attached detailing the server's usage dates and the signatures of the development team. Bidding will begin on October 17th and proceed through November 14th as Blizzard auctions the dozens of HP p-Class server blades off in groups, and the winnings will be given to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which helps combat pediatric cancer and other diseases that affect young kids.

                  If the thought of owning a piece of MMO history appeals to you -- or if you're looking for an interesting Christmas present for that WoW friend of yours -- then check out the auction dates on eBay.

                  MassivelyBlizzard auctioning off retired WoW servers for charity originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Lineage II celebrates Play Your Way with October Bonanza

                  Posted: 13 Oct 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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                  Lineage II -- October Bonanza banner
                  Lineage II players, are you ready for a bonanza!? If you said no, then too bad! To celebrate the game's new Play Your Way business model, NCSoft is throwing an October Bonanza that players surely don't want to miss.

                  It all kicked off on October 12th with new Loyalty Subscription Gifts. Any player who purchases a new subscription between now and the 31st of October will receive some fine gifts, including a Dynasty Weapon Box and five Birthday Present Packs.

                  On top of that, from October 19th until November 2nd, players will be receiving weekly thank-you gifts from NCSoft to show the studio's gratification to them for their loyalty. These gifts are Potion Support Packs, a Supplies Support Pack, and a Dimensional Support Pack.

                  And last up, NCSoft's Player Commendation event will be beginning on the 19th and continuing until November 9th. During this event, players will receive a 50% XP bonus and a 100% Fame boost, a buffing blessing, and the ability to gain Player Commendation points, or PC points. PC Points are points earned just for being logged into the game, which accumulate over time and can be exchanged for a variety of useful items.

                  For the full details on the upcoming event, check out Lineage II's official site.

                  MassivelyLineage II celebrates Play Your Way with October Bonanza originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Paragon Studios games for charity with Extra Life

                  Posted: 13 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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                  Screenshot -- City of Heroes
                  Paragon Studios, being the charitable bunch that it is, has announced that on Saturday, October 15th, it will be taking part in the Extra Life charity event. The game-for-charity marathon benefits the Children's Miracle Network and its associated hospitals, making it a more-than-worthy endeavor.

                  The studio will be streaming its contribution to the event on its Ustream channel this Saturday, so players can tune in, relax, and banter with the devs. And of course, if you're feeling particularly generous, you can donate to Paragon's Extra Life marathon. For more information about the event, check out its official site, and be sure to tune in to Paragon's stream this Saturday.

                  MassivelyParagon Studios games for charity with Extra Life originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Captain's Log: The voices of reason

                  Posted: 13 Oct 2011 12:30 PM PDT

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                  Screenshot - Star Trek Online
                  Captain's Log, Stardate 65284.2...

                  Hello, computer (and players)! It is often said that the voices of the gaming community are some of the loudest, and most passionate, around. This is especially true within the Star Trek Online community. While some may see particular posts made in Cryptic's forums as trolling or whining, others see passion and dedication for making the game they love the best it can be. There is no denying that there will always be those who love to hate and hate to love, but there are also community members out there who are the voices of reason -- they take their time to carefully examine something and provide appropriate and well-thought feedback on how to make something better.

                  As STO is preparing to re-launch with its F2P model, many changes are being pushed to the Tribble test server for players to playtest and provide feedback on. Before the test shards ever open, debates based on the patch notes begin. After a few hours of testing on Tribble, players make their feedback posts public in hopes that developers notice and hear their opinions. The great news here is that the developers are reading each post and have vowed that feedback does not go unnoticed. Since I have been following this feedback closely myself, I thought I should share some of it here.

                  Ensign, warp 10! Let's share some recent community feedback on two of the hottest topics out there...

                  Continue reading Captain's Log: The voices of reason

                  MassivelyCaptain's Log: The voices of reason originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    The Guild Counsel: Why not all guild departures are equal

                    Posted: 13 Oct 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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                    EQII dark cloud
                    "I'm only a tell away." The line is one that MMO players see all too often, and it signals the departure of a guildmate. I used to joke with one of my guildies about that line, and while we went through the motions and said good luck, deep down inside we resented the fact that someone chose to bail on our guild. For us, the line smacked of insincerity, and it probably would have been better in our eyes for the person to just not have said anything at all. Through the years, the MMO landscape has changed a lot, and so has my feeling toward the phrase, "I'm only a tell away." In this week's Guild Counsel, I'll look at how not all departures are equal.

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                    MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Why not all guild departures are equal originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      Former Diablo III dev decribes his work on post-apoc L.A.W - Living After War

                      Posted: 13 Oct 2011 11:30 AM PDT

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                      Bang bang - L.A.W
                      Since we first heard about the post-apocalyptic MMO L.A.W - Living After War (OMG the lack of a period after the W drives me insane), the Massively team has been excited about seeing what this new title can bring to the table. Post-apoc MMOs are nothing new, but this one offers real-time strategy PvP gameplay and only three highly customizable classes, all wrapped in a free-to-play business model.

                      In a recent interview with ProSiebenSat.1 Digital, Lee Jang Wook, founder and CEO of development studio Nitrozen, discusses the game in more detail, including an array of fan-submitted questions. Wook, who once worked as the lead concept artist on Diablo III, also discusses the relationship with alaplaya, who have already made a name for themselves in the MMO space.

                      L.A.W aims to release in the first quarter of 2012, and you can check out more information on the game through the link below.

                      [Via alaplaya press release -- sorry, we weren't given a direct link to the interview itself]

                      MassivelyFormer Diablo III dev decribes his work on post-apoc L.A.W - Living After War originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        Conquer Online arrives on Facebook

                        Posted: 13 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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                        Conquer Online
                        NetDragon's Conquer Online is looking to live up to its namesake by spreading to every platform possible. First it was Macs, then the iPad, and now Facebook. The top-down, free-to-play title has launched the beta version of its Facebook client for all to experience.

                        The Facebook version is very similar to the regular Conquer Online except that the default screen size is smaller (it can be expanded to full-screen mode, however). NetDragon hopes that by expanding to the popular social networking site, Conquer Online will gain an even larger audience.

                        You can watch the trailer for the Facebook edition after the jump -- and we dare you to do so without thinking of the Roseanne theme song. You can't, can you?

                        Continue reading Conquer Online arrives on Facebook

                        MassivelyConquer Online arrives on Facebook originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        Transformers Universe gives fans a chance to name two classes

                        Posted: 13 Oct 2011 10:30 AM PDT

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                        Transformers Universe
                        As Transformers Universe continues to be pieced together, one sentient component at a time, Jagex is looking to players to help with the development process. Specifically, to help the studio choose names for two of the classes in the upcoming game.

                        Two polls will help the company make its decision. The first is over at Transformers Universe's Facebook page while the second is on MMORPG.com. Both polls will continue until 6:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday.

                        The choices for the Autobot class are Scholar, Engineer, and Counsel, while the Decepticon class has the possibility to be called a Technician, Specialist, or Informer. Players also have the option to write in a name as well. Of course, there are a few disclaimers involved, including this common-sense move: "Hasbro and Jagex reserve the right to not use any suggested name, even if it's a name with the most votes, if it does not fit the brand or is disparaging, derogatory, or offensive."

                        MassivelyTransformers Universe gives fans a chance to name two classes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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