General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Maingear's 17-inch Nomad 17 Gaming Notebook Comes with Free Custom Paint Job

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 07:12 PM PDT

If your idea of mobile gaming has nothing to do with phones, tablets or handhelds, and everything to do with laptops, then the Maingear Nomad 17 is aimed right at you. Described as a "wickedly fast" gaming laptop by boutique system builder Maingear, the Nomad 17 is a 17-incher featuring the latest 3rd generation Intel Core i mobile processors.

Starting at $1,599, the Nomad 17 is said to be the "only gaming laptop in the industry to have hand-painted premium automotive paint jobs"; in all, there are six different color options to choose from. As for the innards, this 17-incher from Maingear supports up to an Intel i7-3840QM (8MB Cache, up to 3.8GHz w/ Turbo Boost 2.0). The complete specs are as follows:

  • Processor: Up to 3rd generation Intel® i7-3840QM
  • Video Card: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 675M or 680M
  • Display: 17.3" Full HD 1920 x 1080 - (1080p) (16:9 Aspect Ratio) Anti-glare LED Backlit Matte Finish
  • Memory: Up to 32GB Dual Channel DDR5 - 1600Mhz
  • Optical Drive: Up to 2X Blu-ray reader/8x Multi Combo (BD-R, DVD+-RW, CD-RW)
  • Hard Drive: Up to dual 512GB Solid State Drive or dual 750GB 7200RPM SATA 2.5
  • Network Adapter: Integrated 802.11n b/g/n wireless
  • Audio: THX TruStudio Pro Integrated High-Definition Audio HD Audio with speakers by DynAudio
  • Media Card Reader: Built in 4-in-1 Media Card Reader
  • Operating System: Genuine Windows® 7 Home, Professional or Ultimate 64-Bit
  • Battery: Removable Li-Polymer Lithium-Ion
  • I/O Ports: 1 HDMI out, 1 DVI-I out, 2 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3.0, 1 IEEE-1394 Fire Wire,
  • 1 S/PDIF out, 1 RJ-45 LAN, 1 RJ-11
  • Dimensions: (W)16.85" x (H)2.17" x (D)11.34"

"The NOMAD 17 is a thing of beauty," said Wallace Santos, CEO and founder of MAINGEAR. "With a custom automotive paint job and performance parts, this roadster of a machine is quite a work of art, technologically and aesthetically. Quite simply, it is the finest gaming laptop we have ever offered."

Image Credit:Maingear

Is Intel Killing The Motherboard Market?

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 05:17 PM PDT

Intel Haswell CPUAre you one of the countless power users wondering why Intel is putting so much effort into integrated graphics over the last few years? Especially after decades of complacency? The answer is actually much more complicated than it appears. Intel doesn't just want to kill off AMD and Nvidia. They want to be the one and only vendor PC makers ever need to purchase components from while building your next machine.

DigiTimes points out what now seems almost completely obvious to industry observers; Intel wants to integrate everything motherboard vendors were once doing short of physical connectors onto the CPU. The push to consolidate North and South Bridge chips directly onto the CPU die are forging ahead with next year's release of Haswell, and will only accelerate as we go forward.

This trend has left DigiTimes to speculate on the shaky future of some smaller motherboard manufacturers going forward. Asus, Gigabyte, and ASRock make up the top three, and will likely all find a niche for the next few generations, but then what? If the desktop continues to lose traction to mobile devices going forward, we could well see even the established players begin to struggle. If motherboards become little more than a socket with a few extra USB and thunderbolt chips it could become increasingly difficult to sell premium products, even to power users.

Could Intel conceivably kill off the motherboard market within the next 3-5 years? It's starting to look at least somewhat possible.

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Razer Blade Gaming Laptop Hands-On (Video)

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 05:08 PM PDT

Is the $2,500 Razer Blade gaming laptop worth it?

The saying, "You get what you pay for" gets tossed around a lot, but sometimes this proverb doesn't always ring true. At $2,500, the new 17.3" Razer Blade gaming laptop certainly is expensive, but is it worth it? 

416x234 with html5 and api support

 

Specs

The Razer Blade features Intel's newly revealed Intel Core i7 3632QM Quad Core CPU, which features a base block of 2.2GHz and overclocks up to 3.2Ghz with turbo boost. In terms of discrete graphics, the gaming laptop features Nvidia's GeForce GTX 660m GPU with 2GB of GDDR5 video memory. Tying the CPU and GPU together is Optimus Technology, which allows the laptop to switch between NVIDIA's discrete graphics and Intel's integrated graphics on the fly. For memory, the Razer Blade features 8GB of 1,600 MHz DDR3 RAM. 

Razer Blade

Storage side, the laptop comes with a 64GB SSD along with a 500GB 7,200 RPM mechanical hard drive. This combination gave us impressive boot times, allowing the Blade to boot to Windows within 25 seconds. 

In terms of laptop features, the Blade supports up to three 3.0 USB ports, an HDMI port, and comes with a built-in HD webcam. 

Design

Aesthetically, the Razer Blade looks a lot like a large, black MacBook. Adding some edge to the layout are green-back lit LED keys which complement the simple and elegant design well.  

Razer Blade design

The chassis features a matte aluminum body that looks sleek. One problem we did encounter, however, was that the surface was a sucker for finger prints. This is a shame considering we really like placing our hands on the quiet and responsive keyboard. 

For the screen, the Blade features an LED-backlit 1080p monitor. Though the monitor looks great head-on, there is a bit of that TN-monitor shimmer when you view it at off angles

Because the 17.3 inch monitor is so massive, the laptop can be cumbersome to use in areas where table space is limited, but at only .88 inches, the Razer Blade is impressively thin. Weighing in around 6lbs 11oz, the laptop is by no means light, but it is lighter than similar competitors. 

The big feature Razer is touting with the Blade is the multi-touch LCD pad with 10 programmable keys. This will allow you to bind custom gaming commands and to open up programs with a single keystroke. In addition, Razer says it will allow owners to download pre-made settings whenever new, popular games come out. While most laptop touchpads are situated below the keyboard, Razer has opted to place it on the right to act as a gaming mouse replacement. Even though gaming with the touchpad worked better than we expected (about on par with an Xbox 360 controller for shooters), most gamers will want to plug in a USB mouse which would neglect Razer's efforts here. Furthermore, considering we have been conditioned to using touchpads below the keyboard for so long, forcing ourselves to keep our hands to the right felt extremely counterintuitive and downright frustrating at points. 


Performance

Gameplay performance for the Blade was very solid. Playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with all settings maxed out, FRAPs recorded average framerates around the 60 frames per second mark.

Razer Blade gaming laptop

On the audio front, the Blade was plenty loud at full volume with no unwanted distortion. While the sound quality was adequate, audiophiles aren't going to be blown away by these fairly run-of-the-mill laptop speakers. 

In terms of battery life, The Razer Blade features a 60-watt hour battery. What this translates to is about 2 hours and 45 minutes of non-stop video footage. While this should get you through the majority of movies, it's nothing spectacular. Luckily, Razer has created a small and light battery charger that easily allows you to use the device as a portable gaming desktop.  

While the laptop can get warm under load, we haven't encountered any temps that would melt the denim off our jeans. 

Conclusion

We are impressed with the look, performance, and build quality of the Razer Blade, but its expensive price point makes it difficult to fully recommend. For the money, gamers can build a much stronger desktop PC AND purchase a decent gaming laptop. 

Razer Blade back

For the final verdict along with more performance, benchmark comparisons, stay tuned for the full-written review. 

Google Takeout Lets You Download Original Copies of All Your YouTube Videos

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 11:54 AM PDT

YouTube LogoWhile most web service companies work day and night to lock you in, Google has always maintained funding to its Data Liberation Front to help you do the exact opposite. One of the principles that have always made us admire Google is their commitment to making it as easy to leave a web service as it was to join, and today they are adding an important new expansion. As of now, YouTube users can download the original (non-transcoded) version of any clip they have uploaded to the service in the past, or in the future.

This officially makes YouTube one of the most affordable ways to archive large video clips, with absolutely no danger of lock in. Wondering how it works? Well, according to the Data Liberation Blog: "With Google Takeout, you can download all of the original videos that you have uploaded in a few simple clicks.  No transcoding or transformation -- you'll get exactly the same videos that you first uploaded.  Your videos in.  Your videos out."

Just visit the YouTube site as usual, click your name / "Video Manager", then click "Download MP4" using the drop down arrow next to the edit button for each video. If you have hundreds of uploads this might take some time, however it's still an amazingly selfless service for the company to offer considering they have nothing to gain. 

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AMD Partners With BlueStacks to Bring Android Apps To Windows 7 & 8

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 10:36 AM PDT

Android Apps on AMDIt's been awhile since AMD held the performance crown over Intel in the CPU wars, but then again, performance isn't the only way to win customers. The Sunnyvale California based chip maker has a few more tricks up their sleeve, and have partnered up with a company called BlueStacks to offer up an Android emulator capable of running over 500,000 pre-existing Android apps. The emulator will be optimized for AMD CPU's going forward, however both AMD and Intel users can download a free version of the software right now.

Desktop users might not find much use for the feature, but where this would really make sense is on Windows 8 tablets. The new Microsoft Windows 8 store currently only offers around 2,000 apps, and it has some pretty glaring omissions when compared to iOS and Android. The emulator would distinguish AMD powered tablets in the market place, and give them an interesting advantage over Intel. 

According to BlueStacks: "We've worked closely together to optimize the performance of the apps for AMD's unique 'graphics and computing on one chip' setup. The result is awesome - mobile apps run beautifully on their machines." This doesn't mean the emulator will never make its way to Intel chipsets, but my magic eight ball says the outlook is not so good as long as the payments from AMD keep rolling in.

Both Intel & AMD users can download the beta version of the BlueStacks App Player from their website, however it will no doubt be locked to AMD hardware in the near future. 

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MMO and SEO News from Gameforumer.com

MMO and SEO News from Gameforumer.com


New Halo 4 Screenshots Surface

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 07:47 AM PDT

Whether you're most excited about Master Chief's campaign, competitive war games, or cooperative Spartan Ops, 343 Industries has a wealth of new screens to share. The new screens – viewable on the official Halo site – run the gamut of the game's many modes. New campaign screens highlight the Dawn and Infinity missions from the [...]

Is Wii U’s Launch Lineup That Much Different Than Wii’s?

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 07:45 AM PDT

Nintendo released a list of 23 games expected to ship on day one with Wii U. Initially, this software selection appears to be one of the biggest and best to accompany a system launch. When comparing it to Nintendo's last launch for Wii, the biggest difference is the presence of core blockbuster franchises like Assassin's Creed [...]

Kritika – Closed Beta 2 confirmed for October

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 07:41 AM PDT

Korea is currently looking at a couple of nice action online games, and Kritika is one of those. Developed by All-M, which recently announced the closure of LuniaZ Korea, it is being published by Hangame. Closed Beta 2 will last from 18th to 24th October, with new maps, skills and more. Players bond together to [...]

Age of Wushu – Official release delayed for over 6 months

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 07:35 AM PDT

Originally scheduled to be released later next month, Snail Games USA has now announced that Age of Wushu will launch next year, 3rd May 2013 instead. The Closed Beta phase is also delayed, with it now being separated into 2 dates. Below is the new schedule: 1. November 2012 – Closed Beta 1 2. December [...]

Snail Games USA explains sudden delay for Age of Wushu

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 07:29 AM PDT

As you may have read, Snail Games USA has chosen to delay the launch of Age of Wushu by over 6 months, with the game now set to launch on 3rd May 2013 instead. Of course, the community does deserve an answer since most were preparing for the game to open later next month, and [...]

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates


New Halo 4 Screenshots Surface

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 07:47 AM PDT

Whether you're most excited about Master Chief's campaign, competitive war games, or cooperative Spartan Ops, 343 Industries has a wealth of new screens to share. The new screens – viewable on the official Halo site – run the gamut of the game's many modes. New campaign screens highlight the Dawn and Infinity missions from the [...]

Is Wii U’s Launch Lineup That Much Different Than Wii’s?

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 07:45 AM PDT

Nintendo released a list of 23 games expected to ship on day one with Wii U. Initially, this software selection appears to be one of the biggest and best to accompany a system launch. When comparing it to Nintendo's last launch for Wii, the biggest difference is the presence of core blockbuster franchises like Assassin's Creed [...]

Kritika – Closed Beta 2 confirmed for October

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 07:41 AM PDT

Korea is currently looking at a couple of nice action online games, and Kritika is one of those. Developed by All-M, which recently announced the closure of LuniaZ Korea, it is being published by Hangame. Closed Beta 2 will last from 18th to 24th October, with new maps, skills and more. Players bond together to [...]

Age of Wushu – Official release delayed for over 6 months

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 07:35 AM PDT

Originally scheduled to be released later next month, Snail Games USA has now announced that Age of Wushu will launch next year, 3rd May 2013 instead. The Closed Beta phase is also delayed, with it now being separated into 2 dates. Below is the new schedule: 1. November 2012 – Closed Beta 1 2. December [...]

Snail Games USA explains sudden delay for Age of Wushu

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 07:29 AM PDT

As you may have read, Snail Games USA has chosen to delay the launch of Age of Wushu by over 6 months, with the game now set to launch on 3rd May 2013 instead. Of course, the community does deserve an answer since most were preparing for the game to open later next month, and [...]

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


38 Studios escapes federal criminal charges

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 09:30 AM PDT

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38 Studios escapes federal criminal charges
Bankrupt gamemaker 38 Studios has escaped federal criminal charges according to a report in The Washington Post.

U.S. Attorney spokesman Jim Martin told The Associated Press that his office found that 38 Studios did not break any federal laws. That said, what's left of the company is still subject to an investigation being conducted by Rhode Island police to determine if state laws were broken.

38 Studios folded last May despite a $75 million state loan guarantee. The bankruptcy left Rhode Island "on the hook for more than $100 million" which includes the bonds and interest.

Massively38 Studios escapes federal criminal charges originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Previously on MV TV: The week of September 22nd

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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Previously On MV TV banner
It's that time of the week again, people! Time for those unlucky few who missed our livestreams as they went live to click beyond the cut and enjoy my favorites of the week. It's hard picking them out, so I reach out to the team and ask which ones deserve to be highlighted. Honestly, all of the livestreams deserve the spotlight, but it should be no surprise to find out that individual streamers find their own streams to be the best of the best. I tend to agree, and every week I am surprised at just how no-nonsense and informative our streams are. Be sure to bookmark our livestream schedule calender so that each week you can tune in to your favorite. Feel free to suggest titles for streaming and to chat it up with our streamers live as they play!

This week we have MJ returning with her favorite games like EverQuest II, Aion, The Secret World, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, and Guild Wars 2. Richie joins in with his current favorite, Guild Wars 2, and I round things off with an hour spent with the Ultima Online developer team, a goblinball session with community leaders in Allods Online, and a tutorial on building a house in Wurm Online! Trust me, if there is one goblin-kicking, dev-interviewing, house-building livestream series that you should watch, it's this one!

Continue reading Previously on MV TV: The week of September 22nd

MassivelyPreviously on MV TV: The week of September 22nd originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Daily Grind: What character creation option do you wish MMOs would include?

    Posted: 30 Sep 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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    The Daily Grind What character creation option do you wish MMOs would include
    I'm one of those players who takes forever and a day just to make it through the character creation process (forever and two days if it's a superhero title). It takes so long because I just agonize over every little aspect of how my character looks, even though I'll be spending the rest of my game time with them looking at his or her back.

    Because of this, it does frustrate me when games skimp out on character creation options. MMOs that have only three hairstyles, or identical faces, or nothing but an absurd standard of beauty have me gnashing my teeth. I don't need sliders all the time, but some interesting options to allow me some degree of personalization would be dandy.

    So what character creation option do you wish MMOs would include? Are there beards, hair styles, scars, or accessories that you never see but wish you did?

    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 character creation option do you wish MMOs would include? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      City of Steam offers players barrels of fun before beta

      Posted: 29 Sep 2012 06:00 PM PDT

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      Barreling ever onward.
      Primitive human beings didn't understand many things. They didn't understand quantum physics or literary theory or fine French cooking. But they did understand one important thing: Somewhere in the world, there were barrels and crates, and smashing those barrels and crates would yield items and riches. It's that primordial instinct that the development team behind City of Steam has tapped into, and with the devs' newest development blog about the joy of smashing barrels, they're inviting you to indulge it.

      You see, aside from just talking about the game approaching its closed beta testing phase, this particular developer journal contains an old gem from early internal testing: a minigame built specifically to allow the team to test barrel destruction effects. And wouldn't you know that you can now play with that same tool yourself in your browser? Go ahead and read for updates on development, but stay to wipe out a room full of barrels with an exploding barrel.

      MassivelyCity of Steam offers players barrels of fun before beta originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Tattered Notebook: What would tempt you to play EQII?

      Posted: 29 Sep 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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      The Tattered Notebook  What would tempt you to play EQII
      With an ever-growing number of MMOs competing for attention (and your wallet), I'm sure every game company is constantly asking, "What can we do to bring in new players and convince former players to come back?" This past week, the EverQuest II team posed that very question to a surprising group: the players!

      In a recent post to the official forums, EQII Producer Holly "Windstalker" Longdale posted the following:
      Howdy Norrathians! The team has been brainstorming ideas that would ease the re-entry back into the game and soften the learning curve for returning players as well as creative options for a Refer-a-Friend program. What would float your boat if you are, or were, a returning player at some point? Creative suggestions? And do you have ideas that would make you excited to not just refer a friend, but play with them too?
      In past columns, we've looked at a few ways to attract new and returning players, but in this week's Tattered Notebook, it's worth looking at the topic again. What would get you to come back to EQII (or try it for the first time)?

      Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: What would tempt you to play EQII?

      MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: What would tempt you to play EQII? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        CCP unveils EVE Online: Retribution, coming this winter

        Posted: 29 Sep 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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        EVE Online: Retribution
        Earlier this evening at the VETO EVE fan gathering in London, CCP announced EVE Online's 18th expansion: EVE Online: Retribution. Due in December, this latest content overhaul promises to bring some of the biggest changes yet to the space-themed sandbox MMO, which is steadily ramping up for its 10th anniversary next May.

        We sat down with Jon Lander and Kristoffer Touborg, EVE's executive producer and lead designer respectively, to get a first-hand look at some of Retribution's key features as well as the enormous pile of tweaks, updates, and adjustments players might expect with any CCP-helmed update. One thing is certain: After Retribution, the world of internet spaceships will never again be the same.

        Continue reading CCP unveils EVE Online: Retribution, coming this winter

        MassivelyCCP unveils EVE Online: Retribution, coming this winter originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Mog Log: Two years of spinning wheels in Final Fantasy XIV

          Posted: 29 Sep 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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          The Mog Log header by A. Fienemann
          Has it really been two years since Final Fantasy XIV launched? My collector's edition box was purchase two years ago, and I wrote my last anniversary column a year ago, so I guess it must have been. And yet I still don't feel as if it's actually happened yet.

          You'll note that last year's column was mostly about what happened as a result of the game's launch. That wasn't by accident. Launch led to a massive restructuring of the game's design team, and not too long after the one-year mark, the team announced that it was basically remaking the game from the ground up. That fact has dominated the past year, and it's impossible to overstate the importance that announcement has had for the Final Fantasy XIV community. Everything circles around the promise of 2.0 these days.

          What has that meant for the actual years of the game's operation? Sadly, nothing good. The game has made huge strides, but we as players have been stuck in a nasty little loop.

          Continue reading The Mog Log: Two years of spinning wheels in Final Fantasy XIV

          MassivelyThe Mog Log: Two years of spinning wheels in Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            MMORPG News

            MMORPG News


            EVE Online: Winter Expansion 'Retribution' Unveiled

            Posted: 29 Sep 2012 01:15 PM PDT

            Winter Expansion

            We recently attended a press conference with CCP Games' Ned 'CCP Manifest' Coker to learn all about EVE Online's upcoming winter expansion - Retribution. Today, we're bringing you all the details, so be sure to read on!

            Darkfall: Unholy Wars: Five New Screens Released

            Posted: 27 Sep 2012 08:00 PM PDT

            Five New Screens Released

            Aventurine has released five brand new screenshots from its upcoming title, Darkfall: Unholy Wars. DF:UH is expected to hit retail release in November. Check out all of the new screenshots in the Darkfall: Unholy Wars gallery here at MMORPG.com!

            Age of Wushu: Release Date Announced

            Posted: 27 Sep 2012 07:53 PM PDT

            Release Date Announced

            Snail Games USA has announced that the North American release date for Age of Wushu will be on February 1, 2013. Players can purchase an Elite Pre-Purchase Package for $9.99 which gives a full version of the game, in-game items and access to all beta events between now and the release date.

            General: Blade&Sword II In Development

            Posted: 27 Sep 2012 07:49 PM PDT

            Blade&Sword II In Development

            Chinese MMO developer, PixelSoft, has announced that Blade&Sword II is currently in development. The title is what developers call an "old-brand" game that is set to bring action and hard-core game play to the MMO space.

            Dragon Nest: eFusion MMOG GmbH to Publish EU Version

            Posted: 27 Sep 2012 07:43 PM PDT

            eFusion MMOG GmbH to Publish EU Version

            eFusion MMOG GmbH has announced that it will be publishing Dragon Nest for European customers by the end of 2012. Dragon Nest will be localized into four (unannounced) languages. The team is preparing the first closed beta event that is scheduled to begin at the end of October.

            General: Multiplicity 2.0: Control 2-9 Computers

            Posted: 27 Sep 2012 07:40 PM PDT

            Multiplicity 2.0: Control 2-9 Computers

            Multiplicity 2.0 is a new utility to allow a single keyboard and mouse to control between two and nine computers. Users can drag and drop of large files between PCs, copy and paste formatted content across multiple PCs, and send the audio from all PCs to one PC and a set of speakers.

            General: The Guru Beta Tournament For Natural Selection 2

            Posted: 27 Sep 2012 07:56 PM PDT

            The Guru Beta Tournament For Natural Selection 2

            We've got some interesting news for our readers! The Marine vs Alien FPS/RTS, Natural Selection 2 coming in October will have a tournament sponsored by FPSGuru and RTSGuru. Natural Selection 2 features FPS and RTS elements. There will be prizes from Roccat.

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