General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Anonymous Takes On Supplier of Military, Police Equipment

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 03:04 PM PST

anonAnonymous seems to be moving up in the world. After attacking a global security research firm earlier this week, elements of Anonymous have now announced that a hack from a few months ago the compromised SpecialForces.com, a seller of equipment to the military and law enforcement. As per the usual pattern, the stolen data is now available online.

As confirmed by Special Forces Gear, the owner of SpecialForces.com, Anonymous managed to grab 14,000 usernames/passwords, and possibly 8,000 encrypted credit card numbers. The attack happened in August, but Anonymous is only drawing attention to it now. Special Forces Gear claims that the database compromised by Anon is a backup from a year-old version of the website. The new site does not store data in the same way, they say.

Following the breach, Special Forces Gear made all users change passwords, and the credit card numbers are apparently mostly expired by this point. Still, there is sure to be some useful data that the owners certainly never expected to get out. Special Forces Gear has hired third-party consultants to make sure these shenanigans don't happen again, but there are plenty of other vulnerable sites for Anonymous to take on. 

Kindle Sales Topped 4 Million in December

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 02:42 PM PST

kindleAmazon is usually light on details when discussing Kindle sales, but this time we've been granted a bit more data on the holiday season. According to Amazon, the online retailer moved 4 million Kindle devices in the month of December. Additionally, eBook gifting shot up 175%. After all, you can't give a Kindle without including a few books.

The numbers for individual Kindles were not broken down further. So we don't know how much of that 4 million was accounted for by the $200 Kindle Fire, and how much was the $79 Wi-Fi only eInk Kindle. Although, Amazon has said that the Fire is the most gifted product on the site. At any rate, Kindle sales broke records this holiday season.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos commented in a statement that this explosion is good for authors as well. He explained that the #1 and #4 best selling eBooks on Amazon were published by independent authors using the Kindle Direct Publishing system. Did you give or get a Kindle this year?

Verizon To Charge Online Bill Payers $2 "Convenience Fee"

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 11:05 AM PST

December hasn't been the best month for Verizon Wireless customers. First, the company's 4G data networks have been acting up (and dropping out) seemingly every other day, and if that wasn't enough of an inconvenience, now there's this interesting tidbit: after years of encouraging customers to pay their cellular bills online, Verizon has pulled an abrupt 180-degree turn and now plans to charge customers a $2 "Convenience Fee" (doublespeak alert!) if they pay online or over the phone.  Yep, starting January 15th, the priciest cellular option around is getting a wee bit pricier.

Users can sidestep the extra charges if they sign up for a monthly automatic withdrawal, or if they pay using a gift card or a paper/electronic check rather than a credit or debit card. It makes sense that Verizon wants to firm up its income by arranging automatic withdrawals for as many customers as possible, but charging users who don't use the service an extra fee just seems utterly ridiculous, especially on top of the company's expensive plans. Droid Life broke the news with a leaked memo that outlined the plans, and they've posted screenshots (like the one above) of the documents on their website, if you're interested in reading fine print.

Thoughts?

Yellow Slime Mold May Hold Key To Intelligent Bio-Computers

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 10:41 AM PST

Quantum computing isn't the only nifty next-gen PC advancement scientists are all a-flutter about; there's plenty of attention being focused on intelligent bio-computers made from organic materials, too. A Japanese scientist by the name of Toshiyuki Nakagaki thinks that he's found just the organism that can make it possible, too: amoeboid yellow slime mold. That's right, the nasty goop covering downed trees and leaves is actually a pretty intelligent little bugger that could one day be designing transportation routes and electrical grids. Man, science is cool – and weird.

The simple slime mold shows a simple sort of information processing in the way it finds food. The organism is able to identify and move in an optimized path towards its food sources, a path that avoids stress-inducing stimuli – such as light and temperature changes -- while otherwise reaching the target as directly as possible. Even modern day computers can't choose optimized paths as efficiently as slime mold, another researcher – Atsushi Tero of Kyushu University – told AFP.

"Computers are not so good at analysing the best routes that connect many base points because the volume of calculations becomes too large for them," he says. "But slime molds, without calculating all the possible options, can flow over areas in an impromptu manner and gradually find the best routes… They can even create networks that are resistant to unexpected stimulus."

In Tero's slime mold studies, the icky organism naturally created a railway pattern that is remarkably similar to the existing rails found in the Kanto region of Tokyo, which is kind of exciting – in a gross way. Other scientists think that slime mold could help us better understand the way the human nervous system works. I for one, plan on welcoming our new hyper-efficient slime mold overlords with open arms.

Superphones Show Up in Leaked Windows Phone Roadmap

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 08:31 AM PST

If you thought 2011 was a busy year in the mobile handset market, just wait until you see what's in store for 2012. The battleground is quickly becoming a lot more competitive and will include Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) handsets from Google and its partners, probably an iPhone 5 model with a slightly larger screen, and the introduction of so-called "superphones."

A leaked Windows Phone roadmap posted on WMPowerUser.com provides some insight into Microsoft's future plans, and if the roadmap is correct, Microsoft will launch superphone models in the fourth quarter of 2012.

There doesn't exist a universal textbook definition of what exactly a "superphone" is, and credit goes to Google for coining the term during the launch of its Nexus One. But what you can expect from a true superphone is a larger than average screen with a high definition resolution, a high quality camera, and at least a dual-core processor, if not a quad-core chip. Basically, a superphone should be a step above today's best smartphones.

Getting back to Microsoft's roadmap, the Redmond outfit is planning to release "products with the best prices" in the second quarter of 2012 before attacking the high end in Q4.

Image Credit: wp7connect.com

LG to Roll Out 84-inch 3D Ultra Definition TV at CES 2012

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 08:09 AM PST

Apparently LG has some big plans for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next month. Literally. LG on Thursday announced plans to unveil the world's largest 3D Ultra Definition (UD) TV, an 84-inch monster of a screen with Smart TV functions and an insanely high 3840x2160 screen resolution, all wrapped in a relatively slim bezel.

"LG is pushing the limits of home entertainment innovation with this 3D UD TV," said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company. "We are bringing together all our Smart TV and 3D knowledge in the 3D UD TV in order to demonstrate to the CES audience that LG is committed to being the world's leading brand for immersive home entertainment in 2012 and beyond."

LG's 84-inch TV boasts 8 million pixels and four times the resolution clarity of existing Full HD TV panels. Viewers will be able to adjust the 3D effect using LG's 3D Depth Control, and the imbedded 2D to 3D conversion engine means you can reload those home videos in 3D.

On the Internet-connected side, LG's Smart TV ecosystem consists of over 1,200 apps, of which you can browse with your voice using LG's new Magic Remote. In addition to voice control, the Magic Remote supports three other command inputs: Wheel, Magic Gesture, and Point.

Image Credit: LG

HP's Compaq LE2002xm Monitor is 20 Inches of Affordable Real Estate

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 07:37 AM PST

Maybe your budget doesn't allow for a 30-inch IPS monitor, especially after the holiday shopping season left us all a little lighter in the wallet. Or perhaps you don't have room for a ginormous panel, or a strong enough videocard to drive a super high screen resolution. On the other end of the spectrum is Hewlett-Packard's new Compaq-branded LE2002xm monitor, a 20-inch LED backlit LCD display priced at an even $155.

Compact and affordable, there are concessions that go beyond the small screen size. There's no HDMI port and it's native resolution is 1600x900, short of Full HD, but perhaps sufficient for a secondary display or a monitor for the kids. And if we're justifying the resolution, would you really want to cram 1920x1200 or 1920x1080 pixels on a 20-inch screen?

HP rates the viewing angle at 170 degrees horizontal and 160 degrees vertical. The LE2002xm has a 5ms response time, 250 cd/m2 brightness, 3,000,000:1 contrast ratio (dynamic), and DVI-D and VGA connectivity inputs. Somewhat surprisingly, HP managed to shove a set of integrated stereo speakers into the LE2002xm. Granted integrated speakers rarely sound great, but at 155 bones, it's a nice addition.

The LE2002xm is available now.

Image Credit: Hewlett-Packard

Danger Den Announces Flagship DD-M6 CPU Block

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 07:17 AM PST

Live fast and play hard. That's the sort of motto you'll find exemplified in old school water cooling circles, the ones where wielding a pre-built kit or self-contained liquid cooler might earn you a wedgie. There's a certain satisfaction that comes from building your own water cooling setup, just as there is with building your own PC, and it's a market still being served by folks like Danger Den, which just announced the release of its highest performing CPU waterblock to date, the DD-M6 CPU Block.

"Danger Den released a CPU block that we are proud of. Improved performance, built like a tank, and almost 100 percent produced in the US. The Top Plate, Mid Plate, Hold Down Plate, Hold Down parts are all machined in our facility or within 50 miles of Danger Den," said Jeremy Burnett, Danger Den's President. "The hold down package has been significantly improved for the LGA 2011 socket and previous socket versions. It looks great and makes the mounting process simple for the consumer."

The DD-M6 CPU Block replaces the MC-TDX, a long running favorite that now takes a backseat to a newer, better performing, and more reliable model, according to Danger Den. It also sports a new and improved mounting system.

Pricing starts at $75 for the non-plated brass version and $80 for the nickel-plated model. Both will be available for LGA2011 sockets beginning January 2, 2012, with AMD versions to follow in two weeks.

Image Credit: Danger Den

Buyer Insight: Newegg Reveals List of Best Selling Products During Holiday Shopping Season

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 06:58 AM PST

Newegg, the second largest online-only retailer in the U.S. (Amazon is No. 1) and the go-to vendor for many do-it-yourself (DIY) system builders, provided a bit of rare insight into its operations by announcing its best-selling computer components and consumer electronics products this holiday shopping season. The list is broken down by category and includes sales starting on Black Friday on November 23, 2011 and continuing through December.

The top selling notebook was a 15.6-inch A53E-EH91 from Asus, a rather pedestrian machine with an Intel Pentium B950 processor, 4GB of memory, and a 320GB hard drive spinning at 5400 RPM. Other top selling products include:

  • Televisions: Sceptre 32-inch 720p LCD HDTV
  • Videogames: Microsoft Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Bundle with Halo Reach and Fable 3
  • Digital Cameras: Panasonic Lumic DMC-FZ47K 12.1MP
  • Software: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit
  • Monitors: Acer G235HAbd 23-inch LCD
  • CPUs/Processors: Intel Core i5 2500K
  • Motherboards: Asus P8Z68-V PRO
  • Hard Drives: Seagate Barracuda ST500DM002 500GB 3.5-inch HDD
  • Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL 8GB (2x4GB)
  • Videocards: EVGA GeForce GTX 550 Ti

Newegg called it a "strong" holiday shopping season with "year-over-year growth in both Web traffic and sales," but declined to offer any specific figures.

"The increase in spending is a positive sign that the economy is slowly but surely improving and we look forward to this trend continuing in 2012," said Dr. S.C. Lee, CEO of Newegg North America.

According to comScore, online holiday spending in the U.S. reached $35.3 billion this year, up 15 percent versus 2010. U.S. consumers spent $2.8 billion online in the week leading up to Christmas day alone, which itself is a 16 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

NajmTek to Showcase Dual-Screen U-Book Laptop at CES 2012

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 05:39 AM PST

Another edition of the Consumer Electronics Show is nearly upon us. You can look forward to seeing all sorts of products at the event. Not all of these products will be from established names, but there will also be a few first timers trying to wow attendees with their products. San Jose-based NajmTek is one such startup. The company plans to showcase a dual-screen laptop at the event.

The U-Book, as it is called, features a second, multi-touch screen in addition to the regular display. Even though virtual keyboards usually don't make for the greatest typing experience in the world, NajmTek is hoping that the numerous customization options associated with the "keyboard" screen will be enough to convince prospective buyers. The second screen can be used to display a number of keyboard layouts (supports a number of languages) and can also accommodate a virtual trackpad if the user wants. What's more, the multi-touch screen can even be customized to act as something other than a keyboard (like a virtual piano or mixing console).

All we know about the device at this stage is that it runs Windows 7. We will obviously have to wait until the official unveiling of the actual product at CES for more details.

MMO News

MMO News


Sudden Attack Nexon – Gameplay HD

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 04:28 PM PST

To Learn More About the Game, Check out our Sudden Attack Page.

Sudden Attack is a 3D tactical MMOFPS published by Nexon (Previously by GameHi before Nexon bought GameHi) – the same company behind MapleStory, Vindictus, Dragon Nest, Combat Arms, Mabinogi and numerous other f2p games. The game plays a lot like Soldier Front, Operation 7 and other MMOFPS games. The game is fairly popular here in the West, but not as popular Cross Fire or Combat Arms. In Asia though, Sudden Attack is one of the most popular free to play MMOFPS games available, and is sometimes called the Counter-Strike of Asia. To learn more about Sudden Attack check out the official MMOHut Sudden Attack page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

Kultan

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 03:19 PM PST

Kultan is a nautical fantasy MMORPG, in which you take on the role of “the Chosen One” and seek glory and riches in oceanic exploration. Tend to your character and your ship as you battle against enemies or other players in vast, uncharted waters.

kultan-town

Publisher: Bigpoint
Playerbase: Low
Graphics: High
Type: MMORPG
EXP Rate: High
PvP: PvP Maps
Filesize: N/A

Pros: +Great graphics for browser-based game. +Unique enemy types. +Can summon merchants anywhere.

Cons: -Controls difficult to master. -Traveling is slow. -Can only track one quest at a time.

Create Account

Overview

Kultan Overview

Kultan places you in a world where your ship is your survival. The game features three classes – Adventurer, Mystic, and Commander – each of which offers its own unique set of skills. There are also three factions you may choose to support. The game features an extensive quest and PvE system, as well as the option to PvP with other players on special PvP maps.

Kultan Screenshots

Kultan Featured Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

Full Review

Kultan Review

Coming Soon…

Screenshots

Kultan Screenshots

Coming Soon…

Videos

Kultan Videos

Kultan Official Trailer

Click here to view the embedded video.

Links

Kultan Links

Official Game Page

System Requirements

Kultan System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:
OS: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X 10.4 or later
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz or equivalent CPU
RAM: 1GB (2GB for Vista/Windows 7)
Graphics Card: Integrated Intel G45 with 256MB VRAM or higher
Browser: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera

Eudemons bonus experience quests return for New Year

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 10:12 AM PST

Eudemons Online will re-release its 5x and 8x experience quests for a limited time at the beginning of the New Year.

From January 1 until January 15, players can do a daily Vampire’s Rebirth quest to get a Delicate Moonlight Dress or 5x Vampire Elite to grant a 5x experience boost. Players who wear the Dedlicate Moonlight Dress or Perfect Moonlight Dress, and are returning players (haven’t logged in in 30 days and are at least level 50) can also accept the Blood Sacrifice Quest, and take a team through the quest for an 8x bonus.

Eudemons Online is published by TQ Digital, which also publishes Conquer Online and Crazy Tao.

eudemons-online-massive-kills-main.jpg

Eudemons Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

The 5x and 8x EXP quests will be back online in this coming new year. You’ll not only get an awesome outfit, but also make it full of thrilling EXP! What are you waiting for?

Duration: Jan. 1st – Jan. 15th

5x EXP:
5x EXP is easy for you to get from the Vampire’s Rebirth. Just pay attention to the timed items, and be quick! You’ll get a Delicate Moonlight Dress or 5x Vampire Elite for your effort, but you can only go through the quest once a day. Don’t worry if your Delicate Moonlight Dress expires. You can use the 5x Vampire Elite to activate it the next day, then you’ll get a real 5x EXP outfit!

8x EXP:
As for 8x EXP, you need to wear the Delicate Moonlight Dress or Perfect Moonlight Dress to accept the Blood Sacrifice quest.

  1. For returning players:1. Returning players are those who haven’t logged in for 30 days, and were at least Level 50 before Dec. 31st, 2011.
    2. You can claim a Delicate Moonlight Dress for free from Johnson, to take part in the quest.
    3. If you are a team leader, your whole team can go through this quest with you. But as the leader, you can only do this quest once a day.
    4. If you are just a team member, but not the leader, you can do the quest more than once a day.
  2. For other players:1. You cannot do this quest on your own.
    2. You will need to join a team with a leader who is a returning player.
    3. Follow different team leaders, and you can do this quest more than once a day.

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Gamer drops $16,000 on Age of Wulin virtual sword

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 09:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , , , ,

Age of Wulin - auction winner
Quick, what's the most you've ever paid for an MMO microtransaction? If you said $16,000, you might be the guy in the photo above. The Escapist reports that this unnamed gamer dropped a huge chunk of change for a virtual sword exclusive to Age of Wulin, an upcoming free-to-play sandpark MMO from Snail Games.

He wasn't alone in throwing large sums of money at an unreleased game, as the devs also auctioned off a spear sheath for $2,500 and something called a Hook of Departure for $1,600.

Age of Wulin is currently undergoing a Chinese beta test, and gPotato has plans to bring the game to European audiences sometime in the future.

MassivelyGamer drops $16,000 on Age of Wulin virtual sword originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wargaming.net talks World of Warplanes features and functionality

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

World of Warplanes - Me109
Wargaming.net has published some new World of Warplanes info in part three of its ongoing community question-and-answer series.

The free-to-play World War II aviation title is shaping up to be an action-heavy game with a casual playstyle that is similar to World of Tanks. Over the course of 30 questions, Wargaming.net covers a lot ground including joystick controls (available but not required), cockpit views (not available), and airborne vs. ground spawn points.

"Aircraft will be spawned in the air at the beginning of the battle. As an option, you will be able to land the aircraft at the end of the battle and a successful landing will give you additional experience. An unsuccessful landing will break the plane and will [incur repair costs]," according to a post on the official WoWP forums.

MassivelyWargaming.net talks World of Warplanes features and functionality originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Blizzard hiring Diablo III network engineer to work on consoles

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 07:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , ,

Diablo III
As 2012 rolls in, many gamers are rejoicing that they might make it to a year that Diablo III actually releases. Blizzard's action-RPG will certainly be a hit on the PC, although console fans may have more hope today that Diablo III could reach the shores of their platform.

According to a job posting on Gamasutra, Blizzard is hiring a "Senior Software Engineer Console Network" to work on the Diablo team. It's a full-time position that will be in charge of designing and working on network systems for a console title. One of the requirements for the job is that the person have worked on a major Xbox 360 or PS3 title and have a good amount of experience with PSN and Xbox Live.

While this is not the first indication that Blizzard is working on a console version of Diablo III, it certainly lends credence to the notion that the company is actively working on it. The studio previously said that the title "is probably coming to consoles."

MassivelyBlizzard hiring Diablo III network engineer to work on consoles originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What's the fastest you've ever burned out on an MMO?

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 05:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Jedi Council chambers
Well, I'm taking what is probably the first of many breaks from The Old Republic. I played heavily over the last week and I managed to get two classes to 20 (and do a good bit of warzone PvP and roleplaying).

While I love the class stories, the rest of the game is pretty bare-bones, and I'm returning to greener and more feature-rich pastures. I'm a notorious game-hopper, though, and this isn't so much an indictment of TOR as it is an inevitability. That said, I did tire of BioWare's Star Wars opus sooner than expected, and that leads into today's Daily Grind question. What's the fastest you've ever burned out on an MMO?

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: What's the fastest you've ever burned out on an MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Reid on Reddit: SWTOR fans ask him anything and everything

    Posted: 28 Dec 2011 06:00 PM PST

    Filed under: , , , ,

    SWTOR
    "Ask me anything." That's a dangerous command for anyone to issue, nevermind the community manager of the hottest new MMO on the block. Yet that's just what Stephen Reid said today to the Star Wars: The Old Republic community on Reddit, and the length of questions and answers would make for a mini-novel if packaged as such.

    While Reid certainly hedges on issues that BioWare is not quite ready to address, he doesn't shy away from direct answers when applicable. The compiled Reddit thread lists dozens and dozens of Q&As, including the much-asked-for guild housing ("on the list for future development"), the ability delay issue ("we'll talk about it publicly soon"), and an upgraded Galactic Trade Network ("improvements will come to the GTN in time, definitely").

    In response to the request for non-mechanical (read: animal) mounts, Reid said, "Maybe -- it's a technical challenge, I've been told." He's most excited about the upcoming legacy system reveals, but he's not allowed to talk on it just yet.

    Amidst the probing questions of the newly launched title is a personal query about what it's like for him to be at the helm of SWTOR community management. "What's it like?" Reid responded. "Bewildering and overwhelming and exciting and demanding, all at once, all day long (and often into the night). I had some idea what I was getting into, but it was bigger than expected. I'll stay as long as I'm wanted."

    MassivelyReid on Reddit: SWTOR fans ask him anything and everything originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Choose My Adventure: Post-Christmas update

    Posted: 28 Dec 2011 05:00 PM PST

    Filed under: , , , , , ,

    A turkey and ham coma, family soiree, and the biggest calendar holiday of the year have left my Lineage II escapades a wee bit smaller this week, but not without some fun happenings. Speaking of holidays, I hope everyone had a terrific one!

    Random events, miraculously revived dead pets, more amazing scenery, and lots of killing are on deck in today's Choose My Adventure. It turns out that I am terrible at raising my pet wolf and even got into an accidental scuffle with another player that left her pet dead and me even deader. I returned to the Path to Awakening because that's what you voted for last week. I've also neared the end of the uber-fast leveling cycle via quests and am turning to grinding for the majority of my experience gain. The fun-level has yet to dip for me; there's higher level gameplay I'm really hoping to dip my dagger into, and I'm curious to see what level I can reach by the end of this trip. As always, check out the extensive gallery and livestreams, and tune in to MV Guide to see when my next livestream will be.

    Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Post-Christmas update

    MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Post-Christmas update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

      Videos document player battle with ArcheAge's Kraken

      Posted: 28 Dec 2011 04:00 PM PST

      Filed under: , , , , ,

      ArcheAge
      If you haven't gotten enough of ArcheAge's ridiculously gorgeous graphics and sailing mechanics, then prepare to wet your whistle on not one, not two, but three new videos showing off ocean exploration and monster encounters.

      Sailing and ship combat is one of the lesser-utilized mechanics in the MMO field, so if ArcheAge can pull it off, then it might make waves. Figuratively speaking. These three videos document an encounter with the fearsome Kraken -- giant squid with an anger management problem -- and what happens to a fragile wooden boat that sails into its waiting tentacles.

      According to the video, the Kraken has nearly a million hit points and can smash entire armadas with impunity. The videos show a fleet trying to take on the fearsome underwater world boss, but the players are only able to make a dent for all their efforts.

      Conquer your fears of the unknown by hitting the jump and checking out this impressive beta footage!

      Continue reading Videos document player battle with ArcheAge's Kraken

      MassivelyVideos document player battle with ArcheAge's Kraken originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

      Permalink | Email this | Comments

      A Mild-Mannered Reporter: 2011, year of freedom

      Posted: 28 Dec 2011 03:00 PM PST

      Filed under: , , , , , , ,

      A Mild-Mannered Reporter header by A. Fienemann
      It's just about time for us to bit 2011 a fond farewell, something that I'm sure some of us will be glad to do. And just as I did last year, I thought now would be a good time to look back at the five biggest stories pertaining to City of Heroes over the last 12 months -- including the very obvious one. But there were other stories, some of which might not be about the game proper do but still impact the market.

      I will definitely say that last year seemed to have a larger number of stories that shook up the status quo in the game. In comparison to last year's various major changes, Paragon Studios took this year in a bit more of a low-key route, the huge shift in the game's business model notwithstanding. But it was still a year of changes, just like every year, so let's take a trip down memory lane at my picks for the top five stories.

      Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: 2011, year of freedom

      MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: 2011, year of freedom originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

      Permalink | Email this | Comments

        BioWare's docs: Free-to-play can't invest and create at our level

        Posted: 28 Dec 2011 02:00 PM PST

        Filed under: , , , , ,

        BioWare Docs
        If BioWare's not in a war against the free-to-play business model, it certainly is skirmishing with the notion that F2P is the only way to go. In speaking with our sister site Joystiq, BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk defended the traditional subscription model by saying that it not only works but allows dev teams to achieve games on a larger scale.

        Zeschuk mentioned that it was simply a case of the right business model for the right game: "I'm not saying it's better or worse. It just doesn't supplant the other things. 'Cause we can do some things no one else can. The free-to-play people can't invest to the level we can invest, and can't create something of the size and scale of something we can create."

        Even with its love of the subscription model for Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare is open to free-to-play where it sees fit. Muzyka dropped a tantalizing hint as to the company's F2P aspirations: "We have some other stuff we haven't announced yet coming from our play-for-free team that I'm really excited about. It's gonna bring back some IP that people have a lot of fond memories around."

        MassivelyBioWare's docs: Free-to-play can't invest and create at our level originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

        Free for All: The first annual Frindie Awards

        Posted: 28 Dec 2011 01:00 PM PST

        Filed under: , , , , , ,

        Welcome, fair readers, to the first annual Free for All Frindie awards. I'm hoping that these awards not only serve to point potential players to some great new games to try but illustrate my particular gaming tastes. Sometimes it's hard to explain to people just how I keep up with so many titles and still manage to stay loyal to my "home" games, games that I am simply in love with and return to pretty much every day.

        So as you read my choices, bear in mind that these are based on my opinions from my year of gaming and from my list of favorites. It's also important to note that not all of my favorites were released this year. Some of them are downright ancient games compared to the rest of the young MMO market, but as long as they released a significant amount of content in 2011, I considered them. To me, expansions and a series of patches can equal a brand-new release. Some games release so much new content per year that they might as well have been released again.

        So click past the cut to see my favorites from the market of free-to-play, indie and browser-based gaming. Be sure to leave your picks in the comments section!

        Continue reading Free for All: The first annual Frindie Awards

        MassivelyFree for All: The first annual Frindie Awards originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

          BioWare's Erickson talks about creating MMO story

          Posted: 28 Dec 2011 12:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , , , ,

          Star Wars: The Old Republic - Not as clumsy or random as a blaster
          Story is on everyone's mind when it comes to discussing Star Wars: The Old Republic, and who better to talk to than one of the devs primarily responsible for creating it. PC Gamer does just that in a new interview with BioWare writer Daniel Erickson. The development process is quite complex, and it's also one that takes some time given the hundreds of hours of dialogue required, not to mention the interplay between quest NPCs and players.

          Erickson says that the world-building team uses "greybox" placeholders to connect story quests together while the technical and narrative details are ironed out, and there's a lot less room for error than there is in a typical single-player RPG.

          "You can teleport people around in a normal RPG, you can fake things, you can make it look like you went from one place to another because there's a secret room hidden in the wall - you can do all sorts of chicanery that, if you tried to do in an MMO somebody's gonna find that room, somebody's gonna teleport out. We have to cheat a lot less, and that takes more time," Erickson explains.

          MassivelyBioWare's Erickson talks about creating MMO story originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          MMO Family: LEGO Universe, autism, and heartbreak

          Posted: 28 Dec 2011 11:00 AM PST

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

          Lego Universe
          Often when the topic of video games comes up, it's followed by comments about the negatives, such as violence, antisocial behavior, or inappropriate content. But if they do have harmful effects (and it's arguable how many players really are affected in a negative way), they can also be helpful as well, yet you rarely hear a news story about the good. I've written before about how companies like IBM have studied MMO guilds in order to improve team-building and organization within their company. More recently, MMOWGLI focused on global issues, such as the future of piracy, to study what solutions players could cooperatively generate.

          There are also positive benefits to children as well, and while we've touched on a few in recent columns, this week we'll focus on the impact LEGO Universe has had on autistic children. Sadly, the game will be shutting down in a few weeks, and while many parents are thankful for how much it's helped, they're also concerned about what will happen once the game is gone. Read on for a bittersweet look at how this LEGO-based game is leaving behind a legacy.

          Continue reading MMO Family: LEGO Universe, autism, and heartbreak

          MassivelyMMO Family: LEGO Universe, autism, and heartbreak originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

            Total Pageviews

            statcounter

            View My Stats