General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


AMD's Piledriver To Break 4GHz Clock Barrier, Use New Resonant Clock Mesh Tech

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 11:14 AM PST

Has it already been almost five months since AMD's Bulldozer chips launched? Somehow, it has -- and that means it's time for the old info train to start rolling about Bulldozer's follow up, better known as "Piledriver." AMD has apparently been paying attention to our pleas for better, faster, MOAR because this week the company announced it was licensing new resonant clock mesh technology from Cyclos Semiconductor to help push Piledriver's clock speed over the 4GHz barrier.

The Cyclos technology fit right into the standard design and manufacturing processes AMD already had established for Piledriver, so its implementation shouldn't delay the new core in any way, according to a press release by Cyclos. The company says its technology will "reduce clock distribution power up to 24% while maintaining the low clock-skew target required by high-performance processors."

Here's Cyclos' Cliff's Notes version of how the resonant clock mesh tech works:

Cyclos resonant clock mesh technology employs on-chip inductors to create an electric pendulum, or "tank circuit", formed by the large capacitance of the clock mesh in parallel with the Cyclos inductors. The Cyclos inductors and clock control circuits "recycle" the clock power instead of dissipating it on every clock cycle like in a clock tree implementation, which results in a reduction in total IC power consumption of up to 10%.

Basically, the tech can be used to hit higher clock speeds or higher power efficiency. Dan Ganousis, a VP from Cyclos Semiconductor, explained the technology more in-depth to the deep minds over at SemiWiki.com. Check out the link to learn about the nitty-gritty details.

Eee Pad Transformer Receiving OTA Ice Cream Sandwich Update

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 10:24 AM PST

You have to give Asus props; the company definitely doesn't leave their customers hanging after releasing a product. Its engineers have been busy little beavers in recent weeks, releasing both an Ice Cream Sandwich update and a bootloader unlocking tool for the Tegra 3-packing Transformer Prime, but don't let the focus on the new and shiny tablet fool you -- buyers of the original Eee Pad Transformer aren't being left behind. In fact, owners of Wi-Fi Transformers started getting fresh over-the-air ICS updates of their own today.

Good news for readers whose coins bear the Queen's likeness; Engadget reports that Canadians and Brits are sharing the delicious new Ice Cream Sandwich with U.S. owners. It's also been confirmed in Spain, Taiwan and other locations by members of the XDA forums. Some users are reporting a few app stability issues and other kinks that will need ironing-out, but overall, upgraded Transformers seem to be running pretty smoothly.

Have any of you received the update? How's it taste?

Google Voice Gets Nifty Customization Options Thanks To G+ Circles

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 10:15 AM PST

The Plus-ification of Google continued yesterday as the company announced it was offloading G+ features onto yet another Google service. But unlike the incredibly annoying (both in name and use) Search Plus Your World, this update's actually pretty useful; Google Voice users will be able to personalize their phone line's behavior using their G+ circles. Don't want to mix business with pleasure? With the new Circles functionality, you could have separate voicemail recordings for friends and coworkers -- and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Google engineer Tom Ford announced the new feature on the Google Voice blog yesterday. His brief post sums up the possibilities pretty well:

To help make it even easier for you to organize your contacts, today we're adding Google+ Circles to Google Voice. Circles give you more control over how you manage your callers; for example, calls from your "Creepers" circle can be sent straight to Voicemail, only your "College Buddies" circle will hear you rap your voicemail greeting, or you can set your "Family" circle to only ring your mobile phone.

If you're a Google Voice user with a G+ account, head into the "Groups & Circles" tab of your Voice settings to give the customization a whirl.

Image credit: wisdomtalks.com

Study: Data Throttling is a Money-grubbing Ploy

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 07:12 AM PST

Wireless carriers will have you believe that data throttling is a necessary evil to prevent a small number of bandwidth hogs from ruining the data party for everyone else. But is that really the case? A new study suggests that data throttling might be nothing more than a ploy to get grandfathered unlimited users to ditch their plans and switch to a tiered plan instead.

Validas, a company that analyzes cell phone bills for a living, combed through data from over 55,000 mobile phone bills in 2011. What it found was that data throttling appears to have little impact on easing network congestion.

"When we look at the Top 5 percent of data users, there is virtually no difference in data consumption between those on unlimited and those on tiered plans -- and yet the unlimited consumers are the ones at risk of getting their service turned off," Valipas states in a blog post. "So it's curious that anyone would think the throttling here represents a serious effort at alleviating network bandwidth issues. After all, Sprint gets by fine maintaining non-throttled data to its customers."


Source: Validas

One thing that's interesting to note is that Verizon Wireless customers subscribed to an unlimited plan use less data than those rocking a tiered plan, according to Validas. The same isn't true for AT&T, though the disparity is less than a gigabyte.

Fatal1ty Endorses New X79 Professional Motherboard from ASRock

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 06:37 AM PST

Love him or hate him, Fatal1ty (or Johnathan Wendel, as his mother calls him) continues to have his gaming moniker plastered throughout the do-it-yourself (DIY) scene on a wide range of peripherals, and somebody's buying all these products up. Apparently still relevant, the famous Fatal1ty brand has found its way onto the new ASRock/Fatal1ty X79 Professional motherboard for gamers.

"This Fatal1ty motherboard was designed to bring your gaming performance to the highest level. The Fatal1ty X79 Professional comes with a Fatal1ty Mouse Port that delivers the precise control needed to elevate your game," said Fatal1ty. "In addition to gaming functions, the board packs 4 PCIe 3.0 slots, supporting up to 4-Way SLI and 4-Way CrossFireX. This combination will make you deadly and feared in the battlefield."

Marketing jargon and Fatal1ty branding aside, there's a high-end board beneath it all. The X79 Professional features a 16+2 power phase design to help with overclocking. It uses premium gold all-solid capacitors made in Japan, supports up to DDR3-2600+ memory (OC), has eight USB 3.0 ports (four each up front and on the back), six SATA 6Gbps ports, a UEFI BIOS, and more.

Fatali1ty X79 Professional Product Page

Image Credit: ASRock

Higher Labor Costs at Foxconn May Prompt Price Hikes from HP, Dell

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 06:15 AM PST

Technology bigwigs Hewlett-Packard and Dell are keeping a watchful eye on the labor situation in China, the one in which Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision Industry Company, Ltd.) has doled out major wage increases to workers who build Apple devices in an attempt to improve much criticized working conditions, and may end up hiking prices if labor costs go up across the board.

According to Reuters, HP and Dell are already working with razer-thin profit margins, and both companies have spoken out on the matter.

"If Foxconn's labor cost go up, their product cost to us will go up," HP's Chief Executive Officer, Meg Whitman, told Reuters in an interview.

Whitman said it would affect the entire industry, not just HP, though the world's largest PC maker would still "have to decide how much do we pass on to our customers versus how much cost do we absorb."

Dell was equally non-committal when speaking with Reuters, saying it doesn't know how it all will play out in terms of costs. However, Dell Chief Financial Officer Brian Gladden did say that his company will continue to watch how it unfolds, adding that labor costs account for a "very, very small piece" of the overall cost of Dell products.

Dell XPS 13 Manuals Leak Out Ahead of Launch

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 06:03 AM PST

Another ultrabook release seems to be close at hand, with manuals for the Dell XPS 13 making a premature appearance on the company's website a couple of days back. Even though the said manuals have since disappeared, their emergence seems to be in keeping with the company's U.S. launch plans for the ultrabook. Hit the jump for more.

At the time of its official unveiling at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month, it was announced that the XPS 13 ultrabook would be available in the States at the end of February. The timing of this leak suggests that the "enterprise-friendly" XPS 13 remains on track to hit the U.S. market next week. Dell has already revealed that the ultrabook will have a starting price of $999. The XPS 13 has the following specs:

  •     Intel Core i5 2467M and i7 2637M processor choices
  •     13.3" HD WLED, 300-nit (1366x768) 720p; edge-to-edge hardened Gorilla Glass
  •     Intel HD 3000 video graphics
  •     4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333Mhz memory
  •     128 GB SSD or 256GB SSD drive options
  •     Full size, backlit chiclet keyboard; glass integrated button touchpad with multi-gesture support
  •     Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 802.11 A/G/N and Bluetooth 3.0 wireless connectivity[13]
  •     High definition audio with Waves MaxxAudio 4
  •     Built-in 47WHr 6-cell battery (not replaceable by the customer) with nearly nine hours of battery life; 45W AC  adaptor
  •     USB 3.0 (1) + USB 2.0 with PowerShare, mini Display-Port, and headset jack
  •     Built-in 1.3MP webcam with dual array digital microphones
  •     Dimensions: Height: 0.24-0.71" (6-18mm) / Width: 12.4" (316mm) / Depth 8.1" (205mm); Weight: starting at 2.99lbs

Google to Give Chrome Users a Do-Not-Track Button

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 05:50 AM PST

Google's privacy policies have come under fire in the past, but when it comes to the 'do-not-track' feature mentioned in the Obama administration's online "Consumer Bill of Rights," the Sultan of search won't be pushing anyone's buttons. Instead, it will givers the opportunity to press a button, embedded in Chrome, to initiate the DNT feature and tell websites to back off.

The Obama administration on Thursday said that leading Internet companies and online advertising networks are committing to act on DNT technology in most major Web browsers, which is only half of the equation. For it to be effective, browser makers have to ensure that DNT technology is baked in, is accessible, and that it works.

"We're pleased to join a broad industry agreement to respect the 'do-not-track' header in a consistent and meaningful way that offers users choice and clearly explained browser controls," Google Senior Vice President of Advertising Susan Wojcicki wrote in an email to Bloomberg.

Google's decision comes on the heels of a public backlash over its decision to unify privacy data from 60 Web services.

Microsoft Releases 'Windows 8 Touch Guidance' for Developers

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 05:41 AM PST

By including the touch-specific Metro UI alongside the traditional Windows desktop in its next desktop operating system, Microsoft is trying as hard as it has ever done to appeal to the tablet crowd. But its newfound enthusiasm for touch will not mean a lot if developers fail to respond just as enthusiastically. It's important that developers deliver a consistent and easy-to-use experience across the Metro app ecosystem. To this end, Microsoft has just released a four-page PDF titled Windows 8 Touch Guidance for developers.

The above-mentioned document includes some basic advice and guidelines for developers on ensuring that their Metro style apps are easy to learn and use. It advises them on a number of different things, including the best ways of using gestures and the optimization of apps for different kinds of grips and postures. The software giant wants Metro style apps to "feel familiar to what users already know" from their experience with other touch-centric platforms. The four-page PDF document can be found here.

This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 04:40 AM PST

PS Vita

It's been an exciting week, especially for gamers.

That's because the highly-anticipated Sony PS Vita has finally landed on UK and US shores.

It's an excellent handheld gaming console and we had tons of fun reviewing it. But will the wobbly battery life and lack of polish with some of the software put gamers off?

Elsewhere we've also had our paws on the latest mobile handset from Motorola, the Droid 4. In our eyes it could well be the stand-out best QWERTY phone out there right now, but sadly it's only out in the US for the time being.

Netflix has also been heavily on the radar this week, and Philips has launched a very interesting little streamer designed especially for users of this service.

ps vita

Sony PS Vita review

We love the PS Vita - it's everything you could want in a modern handheld console. It's super-powered by quad core CPU and GPUs. It has a stunning OLED display. Control inputs are plentiful including dual analogue sticks, accelerometer, capacitive touchscreen and of course that unique touch-sensitive rear of the year.

And what this means is that you can play touchscreen minis like Angry Birds if you want (that one's not available on the platform yet though) but you can also play full-blown gaming juggernauts like Uncharted and FIFA Football. We don't even think it's expensive when you take a look at the prices of other mobile gadgets out there. The biggest question mark comes in the form of battery life – 4 hours of full-on gaming will see you drain the battery to nothing. This won't concern some, while others will find it a hindrance. But one thing's for sure, for hardcore gamers, there is simply no better mobile device out there. And you know what, we think the softcore gamers are going to like it too…

Motorola Droid 4 review

The first thing anyone will notice about the phone is how sleek and Razr-esque it feels in your hand. It's a QWERTY phone with a slide-out keyboard, but upon first handle it felt a bit like a slightly chunky touch phone. That's because at .5-inches it's surprisingly thin - thin enough for Motorola to bill it as the world's thinnest LTE QWERTY phone.

But all that wouldn't much matter if the keyboard was garbage, and we're happy to report that we were able to quickly type on it, without having to relearn much of anything. It's a truly excellent keyboard and the keys are edge lit so you can type in the dark with rounded keys that help you find the tiny buttons you're looking to type. The phone comes running Android 2.3.5, but should get a bump to Android 4.0 in the coming months. It's slightly more powerful than its predecessor as well, with a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM on board, and we tested a variety of intensive apps and each were smooth and fast.

Netflix review

In terms of usability, Netflix has a good little service. While we like the simplicity of sign up and how easy it is to use, we can see that the catalogue issue is going to be a real sticking point for a lot of people – there's a lot of stuff missing.

If Netflix doesn't have the films and TV shows you want right now, you could do worse than to check back in a few months and see how it's getting on, the only way is up after all. We'd advise home cinema buffs to hang on to the Blu-rays they've amassed – Netflix's currently patchy HD streaming won't keep you satisfied. But once Netflix has a few more content deals in place (and we've no doubt that it will) and with a price tag of only £5.99 a month, you could pretty much replace that DVD collection if you wanted.

philips hmp2000

Philips HMP2000 review

If you're just getting onboard with Netflix and want an easy way to throw it up onto your TV, the Philips HMP2000 could be the box for you. It's teeny tiny and easier to set up than one of those a self-erecting tents. It'll also play YouTube and digital files from a USB stick, but that's it. There are no more features. So if you think that's enough for you, it's £50 well spent. But for others with more complicated needs, it could be a bit too simple. And the remote control is just ghastly.

Canon G1 X review

Priced at £699 (RRP) in the UK and $799.99 in the US, the Canon PowerShot G1X costs more than some entry-level DSLRs, so Canon's really taking a gamble when it comes to estimating the level of appeal this unprecedented new compact camera will have. Thankfully, however, the manufacturer has backed up the Canon G1 X's price tag with a whole host of high-end features that go a long way towards justifying its cost.

You'll need deep pockets to invest in this prestigious camera, but - if you can stretch to it - you'll be glad you did. That's because it impresses on all fronts, delivering excellent handling and great results across its comprehensive range of exposure modes. Pricey it may be, but this camera's real-world performance goes a long way towards justifying its price tag.

This week's other reviews...

Camera accessories

Kenro Flash Meter review

Ray Flash Rotator review

Lastolite TriGrip 1-stop Diffuser review

Lastolite VH Flip Bracket review

Lastolite Ezybox Hotshoe review

X-Rite i1 Display Pro review

Integral UltimaPro SDXC 64GB review

Micromuff review

LowePro Photo Sport AW review

Camera lenses

Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 AF DGX 2x review

Cameras

Hands on: Olympus OM-D E-M5 review

CCTV

Y-Cam Bullet HD review

Headsets

Steelseries 7H Fnatic Limited Edition review

Razer Megalodon review

Sony DR-GA500 review

Keyboards

QPAD MK-85 keyboard review

Memory

AMD Memory Entertainment Edition 8GB review

Mobile phone accessories

Fitbit Ultra review

Mobile phones

LG Prada 3.0 review

Hands on: Panasonic Eluga review

Storage

Samsung SSD 830 512GB (Notebook Kit) review

Tripods

Velbon Ultra Rexi L review

Velbon QHD-61Q review

MMO News

MMO News


Mythos offers infographic insights

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 04:48 PM PST

Mythos Global has published an infographic today, demonstrating some milestones and statistics since the game launched open beta on February 2.

The stats show that players have run over one million dungeons, dismantled over two million items, and almost augmented 20,000 items. Characters show that Bloodletters are the most popular class (Pyromancers are the least), and Gremlins are the most popular race (Cyclops are the least).

Mythos Global is published by T3Fun, which also publishes Hellgate Global.

49527  420x310 mythos infographic022012

Mythos Infographic

Source:

One Million Dungeons Cleared in Mythos Global Open Beta
Infographic details stats for most popular player decisions

LOS ANGELES – February 24, 2012

After the launch of open beta on February 2nd, Mythos Global has now welcomed thousands of new players into the land of Uld. Hanbitsoft and T3Fun are pleased to announce it has been a very successful launch for the team. Players from all over the world have been logging in to explore and conquer the deepest, darkest dungeons of Mythos Global.

A very visual infographic detailing player statistics, such as the most popular class and race created and hitting the one million dungeon run milestone, has been created to celebrate the launch. The stats cover a two-week period starting from February 2 to February 15, 2012.

A breakdown of these statistics, as shown in the infographic:

Dungeon Runs: 1.1 Million

Items Dismantled: 2.2 Million

Number of Augmentations: 19,265

Character Gender
- Male: 52.5%
- Female: 47.5%

Character Class
- Bloodletter: 40.2%
- Gadgeteer: 31.4%
- Pyromancer: 28.3%

Character Race:
- Gremlin: 32.1%
- Human: 30.9%
- Satyr: 23.9%
- Cyclops: 13.0%

It is still not too late to join in the fray! Register an account at www.t3fun.com and download the Mythos client. Players can look forward to big events planned for this coming March.

For more information about Mythos Global, please visit:

http://mythos.t3fun.com/Home/Home.aspx

Or like their Official Facebook fan page for news, updates, and events:

http://www.facebook.com/mythosglobal

MicroVolts launches Spectate Update

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 04:13 PM PST

MicroVolts has launched the Spectate Update today.

The update includes a new Observer mode, letting players watch a match up-close. Any match can be watched in this new mode, letting players scope out their competition or learn new strategies as they watch the top players perform. The update also introduces a new server, Nickel, and several new items in the in-game shop and web mall. New outfits include Naomi’s Floral Kimono and Knox’s Baseball Catcher’s Uniform.

MicroVolts is published by Rock Hippo Productions, which also publishes Brawl Busters.

49526  420x310 microvolts spectate update

MicroVolts Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

MICROVOLTS LAUNCHES THE SPECTATE UPDATE

No MicroVolters Will Be Left On The Sidelines With The All- New Observer Mode, New Items And a New Server!

Markham, Canada  February 24, 2012 - Rock Hippo Productions Ltd. announced today the launch of the Spectate Update for the popular cartoon style third-person shooter, MicroVolts.   The Spectate Update features an all-new Observer Mode which offers an up-close and personal view of every MicroVolts match, along with new items in the Capsule Machine and the item shop and a new server called “Nickel”.  Players can visit www.MicroVolts.com for all the details!

With the new Observer Mode, players will have a front row seat to watch some of the best MicroVolters at battle!  Players can now watch-in on each and every MicroVolts match as top teams duke it out! Players can even scope out the competition and pick up new strategies for their own matches! Players can now also experience all-new items in the MicroVolts Capsule Machine as well as in the game’s In-game shop and Web Mall!  Naomi flaunts her new “Floral Kimono” on the battlefield while Knox shows the Micro World that he’s a real team player in his new “Baseball Catcher’s” uniform. Due to the high amounts of traffic in the game,the MicroVolts team is making room for more MicroVolters with the addition of the brand new server “Nickel” to go alongside their existing “Alkaline” and “Lithium” servers!

“MicroVolters are a competitive bunch so giving them the chance to observe other players in battle will allow them to learn from some of the best while formulating some great new tactics for their own matches,” said Howard He, President and CEO of RockHippo Productions.  “We also invite players to enjoy the new server and check out the new costume items that our most popular characters, Naomi and Knox, are sporting.”

Players can get a glimpse of what’s in store withthe latest trailer and screenshots featuring the new Mode and Items at www.MicroVolts.com .

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates


Firefall (CN)

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 08:49 AM PST


[English website] China online gaming company, The9, threw a fancy media party to celebrate the announcement of Firefall China last week. The9 is also the majority shareholder of Firefall’s developer, Red 5 Studios. With The9 apparently swimming in cash after its meteoric revival since early last year, this media event oozed style and class, with spokesperson Nicholas Anelka gracing the stage as well.

If you have not read my previous posts, footballer Nicholas Anelka moved to China club Shanghai Shenhua in January, which is owned by The8′s big boss (seldom pictured at any events as usual). In the video above, the little girl who presented the gift to Anelka is the boss’ daughter. From what I read, Firefall will only be launching in China next year, 2013… Visit the official Firefall website above to join in the fun!


Posted by: admin in Gaming News
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BAFTA GAME Awards 2011

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 08:49 AM PST

The BAFTA GAME Awards 2011 is now open to the public vote. As a member of the games-buying public and a totalpcgaming.com reader, you can voteBAFTA GAME Awards 2011 to nominate your favourite game of 2011, include Minecraft, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Portal 2.

"The gaming industry is hugely creative and the GAME BAFTA Video Games Awards aims to recognise the talented and exiting figures and games that have set the industry alight over the past year," said Anna-Marie Mason, Marketing Director at GAME.

"The BAFTA GAME Award is an award we are particularly proud of as it gives our customers the chance to make their opinion heard."

The BAFTA GAME Awards ceremony starts on 16 March, and by voting on the BAFTA Awards website, you can earn a chance to win a Limited Edition Star Wars Xbox 360 console – so get voting!

 


Posted by: admin in Gaming News
Find related article at: http://www.totalpcgaming.com/latest-pc-news/bafta-game-award-2011/

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OP-ED: BioWare Doesn’t Deserve Such Hate For Mass Effect 3′s Day One DLC

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 02:47 AM PST

Mass Effect 3

Thanks to a mistake on the Xbox Live Marketplace earlier this week, a piece of Mass Effect 3 downloadable content was revealed sooner than it was meant to be. As it turns out, the From Ashes DLC is scheduled to be released alongside the game on March 6. This both means Jeremy’s idea of a tuxedo T-shirt for Jack can’t be the first DLC item and that a boycott is already being arranged by infuriated gamers who don’t like the idea of having to pay for this particular content on the day the game comes out.

Note: If you’d like to avoid any and all spoilers related to ME3, you’d be wise to not read on as the nature of the DLC is part of the reason why series fans are so upset.

The Marketplace listing for From Ashes describes the content as allowing players to “Unearth lost secrets from the past and recruit the Prothean squad member,” the latter of which is a big deal — Protheans are a race in Mass Effect lore believed to be long extinct. They were at one point credited with the creation of extremely advanced pieces of technology like the Citadel and the mass relays, so suffice it to say they are a critical aspect of the series.

As such, relegating what is presumably (keep in mind we don’t know this for sure) the last remaining member of the Protheans to premium DLC has upset fans who feel this should be a part of the game they purchase on March 6. Instead, meeting the Prothean will be a $10 proposition unless you’ve decided to purchase either the Collector’s or Digital Deluxe versions of the game.

Many fans are claiming they will not be purchasing the game, including those on Reddit who have been engaged with a letter-writing campaign expressing their displeasure with the situation. Many feel this DLC’s existence is entirely attributable to Electronic Arts which, like Activision, is seen as a money-hungry publisher that cares about nothing but its bottom line. Accusations of customers being ripped off and shafted are common among those airing their grievances on Reddit and elsewhere.

“But this is just unacceptable. For the first time in…forever, I actually took the time to send a lengthy email and have agreed not to purchase Mass Effect 3 unless they do something regarding this,” wrote Reddit user breadrising. “At this point, they are only punishing loyal fans by holding a large amount of the lore experience for ransom. Its disgraceful. I urge anyone reading this who hasn’t sent an email, to take the (quite literally) two minutes to do so. Simply upvoting will not change things as drastically as voicing your criticism.”

“It is the principle of including mission and character content as part of the complete code on launch and charging for it on Day 1,” said TotalBiscuit. “It could be the lamest character in the world or the most vital thing ever, the principle remains the same. Non-cosmetic Day 1 launch paid DLC is unacceptable in all games.”

“You are absolutely allowed to disagree with a decision a game company/publisher is making with regards to DLC,” wrote kingerp in response to those on Reddit stating they would pirate the game after learning of the DLC. “HOWEVER, this does not justify pirating the game, or the DLC in question. Claiming otherwise is the epitome of gamer self-entitlement, and it’s laughable that any of you could argue that you somehow ‘deserve’ to get access to something without paying for it.”

BioWare has already begun attempting to defend itself. Mass Effect executive producer Casey Hudson took to Twitter with a series of messages which read, “It takes about 3 months from “content complete” to bug-fix, certify, manufacture, and ship game discs. In that time we work on DLC. DLC has fast cert and no mfg., so if a team works very hard, they can get a DLC done in time to enjoy it with your 1st playthrough on day 1. On #ME3, content creators completed the game in January moved onto the ‘From Ashes’ DLC, free w/ the CE or you can buy seperately.”

Producer Michael Gamble also offered up an explanation on the BioWare forums. He outlined what the DLC includes — the squad mate, an ‘adventure’ on Eden Prime, a new weapon, and alternative appearances for every squad mate (in addition to those in the CE) — noted the Prothean is optional content, and explained it was included in the CE because the content is designed for long-time fans, adding that the DLC release is intended to allow non-CE buyers to also enjoy the content.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun‘s John Walker suggested the solution to avoiding this reaction is to simply delay the release of the DLC. Push it back from launching alongside the game to coming two weeks later; that way day one buyers will largely be done with the game and ready for new content.

I disagree for several reasons, one of which is that some players (myself included) would prefer to have the option of meeting up with the Prothean in the midst of the story rather than in a subsequent playthrough or at some point after the main campaign has been wrapped up and Earth has (I assume) been saved. Without knowing the specifics of how ME3′s story will end or what the Prothean meeting will be like, I can’t help but think the Prothean meeting will somehow come across as less important than it should if it comes after completing the game.

That’s another reason why delaying the release of this particular DLC wouldn’t be the right way to go — I think a lot of the outrage is a result of, as I noted above, an important event taking place inside a piece of downloadable content. A meeting with a Prothean should, in the eyes of many ME fans, be a key moment in the main game. Whether the DLC is available at launch or months down the road, BioWare will be faced with criticism that it held back a moment it knew fans would be eager to experience in order to make more money. This calls into question whether we simply need to begin looking at game stories differently in this digital age, where some events can take place beyond the scope of what is included on the disc at release, similar to an MMO. (But that’s a matter for another discussion.)

The motive behind such a DLC release isn’t always as selfish as it may seem. If you follow industry news closely, you’ll likely have read a story at one point or another about a developer finishing up a game and laying off a number of staff around the time of its release. Eat Sleep Play and Starbreeze are two recent examples. As John points out in his RPS story, when confronted about this developers have a very reasonable explanation for DLC that is developed prior to the game’s release: it’s “a move that helps to keep people employed.”

Gamers tend to ignore (or simply be unaware) of the time which exists between development on a game coming to a close and the day that game shows up on store shelves. As Hudson alluded to on Twitter, certification processes, manufacturing, and so on take up a good deal of time. A piece of content finished a week before the retail release of a game can’t be included on the disc, which is why we so often see patches released on the first day a game is made available. It’s not as if the content on the disc you insert into your console or PC was being developed up until the days before its release.

Delaying a piece of DLC purely to avoid gamers getting the wrong impression is not the right way to approach this situation. DLC isn’t going away — on this we can all agree — and there’s no reason why developers should have to wait an arbitrary amount of time before selling DLC that is complete. I’m by no means in support of developers withholding content simply so it can make extra money on it later, something we have certainly seen in the past. But in the case of From Ashes that doesn’t appear to be the case. Being angry about content located on the disc you’re expected to pay extra for is one thing; assuming content was held back just to screw fans is another matter entirely.

I’m not saying you have to purchase the DLC or anything like that — by all means, don’t spend your money on it if you don’t approve of its existence, as that will send a much better message than an email alone. I simply don’t find it objectionable for a publisher to shell out money on top of a game’s budget in order to deliver more content it then hopes to make money by selling.


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Age of Wulin (CN)

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 01:26 AM PST


This time next week, the Closed Beta 1 phase for Age of Wulin China would have started for a few hours already. Even though I am registered for it (link), I am hoping there will be no hiccups for overseas player though, even if Snail Game has recognized us as part of the player group. So, before next Sunday arrives, I will be posting a few articles on the system found in Age of Wulin. First up, a preview of the guild war system.

In Closed Beta 1, there will be 11 areas opened for the top 11 guilds to build their base. After a player registers a guild and there are no 4 players in it after 3days, the guild will be disbanded. Those with the amount will become an official guild. When the number of players in a guild reaches 100 and there is 20 silver in the guild bank, it is possible to upgrade to level 2. Only upon reaching level 2 can a guild declare war on others and vice versa. For Closed Beta 1, guilds with a base will not be able to declare war on another with none.

Pretty much similar to Ragnarok Online’s War of Emporium, there will be a short time for both attacking and defending guilds to prepare for the war once it has been declared. For the defending guild, the guild master have the option to relocate where the guild throne, the ultimate goal of the attacking guild, is placed within the walls. If not done so, the game will automatically choose a spot itself.


Both guilds will see the names as red, indicating the enemy. Killing anyone during a guild war will not affect the karma status of players. While the attackers can kidnap the female servants in the guild base and exchange them for silver, the defenders may spend silver to hire NPCs to defend or build various traps. Once the attacker gain control of an area, their guild flag will be shown there.


Here is one of the more interesting parts of the guild war. For the defenders, there will be 8 portals (or 4 connections) which will allow them to travel instantly to another area. However, the attackers may destroy and gain control of 3 of the portals and use them to move around, except for just 1 main portal. Of course, the linking portal on the other side must be captured as well in order to be used. The defenders may also attack and gain back these portals.


Once the attacking team discovers the guild throne in either of the 4 throne rooms, gaining control of it will declare the end of the guild war and change of ownership. The information posted here are all for the Closed Beta 1 phase, hence details might change accordingly when it is ready for an official release.


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Can Etrian Odyssey IV Bring Hardcore RPGs to the Masses?

Posted: 23 Feb 2012 02:46 PM PST

Annual iterations in video games are something that we’re just going to have to deal with — as much as we may complain, there’s just too much money to be made in releasing yearly installments of the biggest franchises. While this business model obviously makes sense from a financial point, many lament the fact that this short span in between sequels hurts creativity and quality. If you need proof of this, look no further than the Assassin’s Creed series. The two-year gap between AC and ACII allowed the series to come into its own and evolve into one of gaming’s most ambitious franchises. Since then, the annualization of the series has brought a bit of stagnation to the formula. And yet, we continue to have faith that the franchise may return to its former greatness. With the recent announcement that Assassin’s Creed III will hit shelves on October 30, we remain cautiously optimistic that Ubisoft is prepared to make an ambitious leap forward for the next numbered installment in Desmond’s journey. Below are some initial thoughts and theories from the AC players at 1UP: Marty Sliva, Thierry Nguyen, and Jeremy Parish.

The Setting

Marty: A few months back, I received a pro-tip that ACIII was going to place you in the body of a half-Cherokee warrior during the American Revolution. Evidently you’re going to be tasked with traveling north along the Atlantic coast to Boston and Philadelphia, engaging in all sorts of wacky hijinks. If this is the setting for ACIII, it would be a great direction for the series to take, as America during the latter half of the 18th century is rife with potential in the video game world. With so many historically significant events occurring throughout New England at the time, Assassin’s Creed III could take a Forrest Gump-ian approach to history and have your character be present at all of the major events of the American Revolution. Imagine playing through historical moments like the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s ride, or Washington’s crossing of the Delaware.



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Ragnarok II (KR)

Posted: 23 Feb 2012 02:46 PM PST


[Game website] Back in May 2007, Ragnarok II begun its first public beta phase. But being nowhere near a polished product, it caused players to be disillusioned and negative about the game. Gravity Games promised to make sweeping changes, but till the test server closed in August 2010, no significant content updates where implemented at all.

Fast forward to 2012, the game has finally entered Open Beta yesterday. Korean gaming website ThisIsGame.com (link) held an interview with Ragnarok II’s man-in-charge, Mr Kim, to understand what really happened all these years. Please note that the article has been summarized in certain parts.


Mr Kim took over the Ragnarok II project on 2nd October 2009. It was not an easy decision, as the franchise has already established itself with Ragnarok Online and tackling the problems faced by the sequel will require an incredible effort. Eventually, he felt that as one of Gravity Games’ executives, it is his responsibility to make Ragnarok II a success.

When he took over, the vision for Ragnarok II was at best confusing, as there was no single direction the team was working together on. Even if there was an internal schedule for the game’s development, Mr Kim felt that it was not helping at all and decided to re-plan the whole timeline. The whole project became clearer once everything was organized properly.


In order to speed up the re-development process, 3rd party studios from China and Korea itself were hired to fulfill the manpower requirements and to prevent staff from working too much overtime. An overhaul of the development team in Gravity Games was also carried out. Still, many of the development team had to stay past 10pm on a daily basis.

Mr Kim recalled one of his development staff quitting the company after his fiancee threatened to break up with him. He also admitted that he himself seldom leave the office before 10pm, with 12am counted as “early” on lucky days. Mr Kim was admitted to the hospital once due to overwork, while the art department’s head was stressed till he couldn’t move his neck and back properly.


The initial engine for Ragnarok II was Unreal 2.5, bu the development team faced many troubles working with the engine when trying to perfect the game. It was then later changed to the Zero Ding Engine, a Korea-developed engine. However, that did not work as well, which led to the current Gamebryo Engine (which was used for Warhammer Online as well).

In order to understand the essence of Ragnarok’s lore and world, Mr Kim frequently played Ragnarok Online to understand what the fun parts are in the prequel from a player’s point of view. He spoke to the author of the Ragnarok manga as well, from which the games spawned from. In the end, he decided to keep almost all the original map names, skill names and monster names to stay true to the franchise.


One of the more major changed will be the card system. In Ragnarok Online, Mr Kim noted that the number of card slots and card in an equipment will determine how long it is viable before players move on to another, which is usually a short time. To solve this, monster cards will now be used on characters instead.

For the 20-man raid dungeon, the final boss will start spawning hordes of minions to make the fighter much harder on its health points drop to 5% and below. Mr Kim stated that he smart choice will be the out last the waves of minions and concentrate firepower on the boss.


He also mentioned that he hopes the raid dungeons in Ragnarok II will not be as stressful as the ones in World of Warcraft, without having to do a standard set of actions simultaneously to clear the dungeons. The aim of the raid dungeons should be seen as a fun side-activity instead of being engrossed in them.


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AstroN MMO Review

Posted: 23 Feb 2012 01:29 PM PST

AstroN is a 3D Sci-Fi shooter MMO where players command starships. Chose from three races, each with their own ships and distinct features. Work together to defeat computer controlled enemies and complete missions, or battle against other players in five game modes!

 

 

Publisher: GameIs
Playerbase: Low
Graphics: Low Quality
Type: MMORPG
EXP Rate: Medium
PvP: Various Modes
Filesize: 165 MB

Website: http://astron.gameis.com/

Pros: +Low system requirements. +Action oriented gameplay. +Cooperative and competitive game modes. +Keyboard controls.

Cons: -Dated visuals and interface. -Low playerbase. -Repetitive gameplay, must grind same stages constantly.

 

AstroN is a sci-fi shooter with action oriented combat. Like the browser based Pirate Galaxy, players can only move their ships in two dimensions, but the environments are in 3D. AstroN is a simple game with low system requirements and a small file size. It was developed by the same studio behind Carom3D. Players can create a character from among three races, each of which starts with a different kind of ship. Each mission stage takes place on a different world which players access through a launch pad in the main city. AstroN also has five different kinds of battle missions which are the PvP modes in the game.

Races:

Shrewdo - They have the fastest ships in the whole universe.

Acron - The most energy efficient race. They possess many special weapons and advanced technologies. Acron worship the God Rahkiel.

Bellico - A hostile species which has destroyed many civilizations. They have simple but powerful weapons. The durability of Bellico ships constantly recovers, even during battle.

Battle Missions

Communication Center - Two teams compete to destroy the opposing team's base while defending their own.

Resource Struggle - The three factions defend their mining vessels as they generates resources. Harass the vessels of other factions to delay them.

Convoy Mission - One team has to escort the cargo ship as it moves while the other team must destroy it.

Planet Invasion - Attacking party must destroy defending team's command ship. Defending team must prevent this.

Keydisk Struggle - Three factions defend their keydisks until the end. The side with the last remaining keydisk wins.

 

 

 

AstroN MMO System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:
OS: Windows 98 / ME / 2000 / XP
CPU: Pentium Celeron 1GHz
RAM: 128 MB
HDD: 500 MB
Graphics Card: 32 mb

Recommended Specifications:
OS: Windows XP / Vista / 7
CPU: Pentium 4 1.5 GHz or higher
RAM: 256 MB or more
HDD: 1 GB or more free
Graphics Card: 64 mb or more

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


BioWare: Average SWTOR play session tops four hours

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 09:00 AM PST

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Star Wars: The Old Republic - Twi'lek Smuggler girl
Star Wars: The Old Republic players are consuming game content in four- to six-hour sessions on average, according to Kotaku and BioWare bigwig Greg Zeschuk. "When they play, their sessions are absurd," he said recently.

Zeschuk goes on to say that the retention is a sign of the title's addictive "just-one-more" gameplay, and that the firm is pulling an "intense amount of analytics and telemetry" from the title.

Finally, he hints at the theory that most SWTOR players are happy due to a general drop in forum tomfoolery. "You can tell when things are going really well in the game," Zeschuk explains. "The amount of forum chatter drops. People don't go to forums. They just play."

Take that as you will, and let us know how long your average SWTOR session lasts.

MassivelyBioWare: Average SWTOR play session tops four hours originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: Let's make a mobile MMO, part four

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 07:00 AM PST

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Game Sketches
So here we are at the last part of a four-part mini-series in which Dave Toulouse, indie developer of games like Golemizer and Star Corsairs, and I have attempted to make a working mobile MMO. I started the series with the hopes of fostering discussion over design as well, and we have gotten some great conversations going in the comments section! I think many MMO gamers dream about game design at some point, and some go beyond that point and actually create a game. It can be tough, as this series has shown, just to get the basics down.

Well, here we are at the last. I wanted to go over some of the best ideas the readers had, cover what we were able to do with the actual game, and debate how much further it would need to go to be considered officially "done."

Continue reading MMObility: Let's make a mobile MMO, part four

MassivelyMMObility: Let's make a mobile MMO, part four originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Uncharted Water Online bribes greenhorn sailors with gifts

    Posted: 24 Feb 2012 06:00 AM PST

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    Uncharted Waters Online
    Netmarble really, really wants you to play Uncharted Waters Online -- and it's not ashamed of a little bribery to make that happen. To tempt players into giving this nautical MMO a try, Netmarble is giving every new sailor a gift pack for the next month. The pack includes basic supplies, a skill handbook, an "anti-natural disaster item," and, er, LifeSavers. Probably not the candy, though.

    In addition to the novice pack, players can earn up to three additional gift packs by leveling up. If a player hits level 20 in all three main skills, he or she will even be gifted with a fine new sea vessel of his or her very own.

    The giveaway goes through March 21st, so if you've been eying Uncharted Waters Online, you might want to make your move sooner rather than later to get in on this deal.

    [Source: Netmarble press release]

    MassivelyUncharted Water Online bribes greenhorn sailors with gifts originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: Are you a fan of account-wide rewards?

      Posted: 24 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST

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      Guild Wars
      Guild Wars has long been a source of mild frustration for me because not all of the game's achievements are account-wide. While aspects of the Hall of Monuments are based on your account's accomplishments and skill unlocks are accessible by alts, the game nevertheless discourages me from devoting time to my secondary toons, not when there are factions and titles still to grind on my main.

      I'm intrigued by games that offer parallel power tracks that show your overall investment in the game, not just in one character. Lord of the Rings Online's Destiny and Star Wars: The Old Republic's Legacy systems do just that: They reward you for playing multiple characters by allotting you currency that can be spent on special rewards.

      So today we ask you: Are you a fan of account-wide rewards like Destiny and Legacy points? Or do you think they unduly reward scattered play rather than specialization in one character and class in the game?

      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: Are you a fan of account-wide rewards? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Guild Wars 2 info keeps on comin'

        Posted: 24 Feb 2012 04:00 AM PST

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        Sarge! Call in a hype storm!
        If you're a Guild Wars 2 fan, you're used to the jarring transitions between droughts and floods of information. This week, happily, it's flood time. It's been a busy week for ArenaNet, but the team gives no signs of slowing down. After a successful press beta weekend and opening up a signup form for upcoming beta tests, ArenaNet has kept up the flow of information -- and excitement -- by gracing GuildCast with the presence of a few of its devs, clarifying some points on world vs. world in a new blog post, and setting up a Reddit Ask Me Anything session for 11:00 a.m. EST on Friday the 24th. The blog post clarifies some of the more prominent questions the community has been voicing about WvW over the last few days, while the Reddit AMA is a good chance to get in those nit-picky questions that you're still dying to get clarified (no, "can I have a beta key" should not be one of 'em).

        The most important information out of all of this? Mike Ferguson put a stop to a debate that might otherwise have been endless: WvW is "wuv-wuh." You're welcome.

        MassivelyGuild Wars 2 info keeps on comin' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          A second look at The Secret World

          Posted: 24 Feb 2012 03:00 AM PST

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          The Secret World has M60s, apparently
          Funcom recently held another special hands-on event for The Secret World at its Montreal, Canada offices, where we sent freelancer François Blondin to cover all the exciting details. Enjoy his latest preview of the game!

          Last weekend, I nabbed a second look at Funcom's upcoming MMO The Secret World, now scheduled for a June 19th release. I was going in with high expectations, having been blown away by my first playtest of this modern-world-based MMO, and I'll say that this second visit managed to convince me that this game is on the right track to impress gamers with fresh gameplay, vicious puzzles, an ability wheel full of synergies, and new elite abilities at the top tiers of weapon specializations.

          I spent wasted a lot of time during my first visit testing out different builds, but I missed out on some content while doing that, and I realized that abilities and builds are something you'll come to naturally as you progress through the game as you earn ability points, choose where you want to go, and decide how you want to specialize. This time around, I got to spend more time exploring the game world, trying out missions, and blowing things up.

          Continue reading A second look at The Secret World

          MassivelyA second look at The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            PlanetSide 2 devs run through a hypothetical battle scenario

            Posted: 23 Feb 2012 07:00 PM PST

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            PlanetSide 2
            The gulf between sparse previews of an MMO and actually getting your hands on it is wide indeed, but the makers of PlanetSide 2 have an idea. If they can't allow you in the game yet or show you a hands-on, why not describe how a battle scenario might go from start to finish? Creative Director Matt Higby did just that for fans, conjuring up an imaginary skirmish between two forces over the fate of a base, and in doing so highlighted how such PvP fights might occur in the game.

            In this scenario, he envisions a base being attacked; that attack is then repulsed by its defenders. The former defenders proceed to launch aircraft to continue the rout until the attackers have retreated into their own base. Attack aircraft and air transports, he says, will be the first responders on the scene, as they're the quickest to get anywhere. From that point, he imagines the attackers rallying support to go on the offensive once more, with vehicles leading the way and ground troops following, swarming the base and capturing it for good.

            Higby says that the tug-of-war between bases will be anything but dull and simple: "Now, distracting that tug of war is all the other regions that are all around here... There's lots of little strategic decisions and options that you can do in there that radically change the balance of the big battle that's happening."

            MassivelyPlanetSide 2 devs run through a hypothetical battle scenario originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            EverQuest sets sights on March 16th for free-to-play

            Posted: 23 Feb 2012 06:30 PM PST

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            EverQuest
            On March 16th, 1999, Sony Online Entertainment launched one of the most monumental MMOs in history, and 13 years later, the studio is taking EverQuest to the next level with a free-to-play model. That's right, SOE's set the date for EQ's F2P conversion to be Friday, March 16 in order to coincide with the game's anniversary.

            SOE promises that this won't be the only highlight of the teenage game's big day, as anniversary events will arrive in the game on that date as well.

            In the meanwhile, the studio is asking for talented map-makers and artists to submit their own custom maps to be included in the game. There's no specific details yet on this process, but SOE says that it will be asking for these maps soon.

            MassivelyEverQuest sets sights on March 16th for free-to-play originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Spiral Knights update introduces new mission types and more

            Posted: 23 Feb 2012 06:00 PM PST

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            Screenshot -- Spiral Knights
            It's been a little while since we heard from Three Rings' free-to-play dungeon-crawling title, Spiral Knights, but today we have some new information regarding the game's latest patch, and it brings a whole new degree of structure to the title in the form of new mission types. The team is adding four different types of missions in order to give players a solid path of progression as well as a quick fix for players who don't have a ton of time on their hands.

            The first of the four mission types is known as a rank mission. Rank missions comprise the main campaign of Spiral Knights and will allow players to climb the ranks of the organization. Each rank mission will grant players pre-set awards in addition to any loot found on the mission itself. Prestige missions, the second type of mission, are daily tasks that will reward players with prestige. Players with high prestige scores will receive an unspecified bonus sometime in the future. The third mission type, expansion missions, operate similarly to rank missions in that they "feature set rewards," but the missions must first be "unlocked with purchase," though as of now we don't know whether that means a microtransaction or an in-game-currency purchase. Lastly, we have arcade missions, which are the same arcade missions that players know and love, except now they can be joined directly from the mission interface instead of making you run to the arcade itself.

            For the full details on all the new mission types and features being added in the new patch, just head on over to the Spiral Knights forums and take a look.

            MassivelySpiral Knights update introduces new mission types and more originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Fallen Earth entices Marketplace shoppers with first-time purchase package

            Posted: 23 Feb 2012 05:30 PM PST

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            Fallen Earth
            Studies have shown that if players make the big step to buying something -- anything -- in an online game's cash shop, then they're much more likely to do it again. Ergo, studios are coming up with all sorts of methods to sweeten that first deal, such as GamersFirst's new Fallen Earth "first time purchaser package."

            The package is a bundle of 13 items, unlocks, and abilities that will be sent to the character of your choice once you make your first purchase in the Fallen Earth Marketplace. It's a very tempting deal, especially for free players, as it increases character slots to four, adds access to global chat, removes the chip limit, unlocks the core wardrobe slot, and tosses in a couple of mobile garage/stable managers for those too lazy to walk back to civilization after an accident.

            It's not clear whether this package applies to players who have made a purchase in the Marketplace before today.

            MassivelyFallen Earth entices Marketplace shoppers with first-time purchase package originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The MMO Report: MMOs are Casey's children edition

            Posted: 23 Feb 2012 05:00 PM PST

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            The MMO Report
            This week on The MMO Report, Casey (not pictured above) discusses The Secret World's new release date of June 19th, Guild Wars 2's console version and beta weekend, and Star Wars: The Old Republic's expansion into the Asia-Pacific region. He also peeks at the new raid and content coming to DC Universe Online, which still exists.

            Casey's usual journey into the mailbag may or may not reveal an image of a dog drinking wine and playing World of Warcraft.

            Finally, The Beard teases next week's special RIFT anniversary episode. All that and more in the video behind the break!

            Continue reading The MMO Report: MMOs are Casey's children edition

            MassivelyThe MMO Report: MMOs are Casey's children edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            No subtlety to Champions Online's SMASH Alerts, just straight-up brawling

            Posted: 23 Feb 2012 04:00 PM PST

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            Venom is attacking the city!  This looks like a job for... um... darn, what was that guy's name?  The dude with the swords?  Cutman?  Cut-up?  Something with cut.
            The most basic superhero stories are pretty simple -- a villain is attacking the city and the hero has to go stop him or her. That's the spirit behind the new SMASH Alerts coming to the Champions Online test realm, quick instances that pit players against signature villains in a straight-up brawl. The villain may or may not have any minions, but the real test is to see if the heroes can knock out the villain within the time limit.

            Players will notice that the new Alert system also has gained a new minimap icon and improved queue functionality, allowing you to sign up for a quick and dirty brawl with your nemesis of choice from anywhere. There are also new team-up GRAB Alerts available for testing against paired villains, which should give every hero a chance to pop in and beat the living daylights out of a villain up to no good. And, really, isn't that all you can ask from a superhero game?

            MassivelyNo subtlety to Champions Online's SMASH Alerts, just straight-up brawling originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            What a tangled web Lord of the Rings Online weaves, especially for Weavers

            Posted: 23 Feb 2012 03:30 PM PST

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            Oh, good.  Spiders.
            If your idea of a good time in Lord of the Rings Online is to be a scuttling eight-legged monstrosity in PvMP, you've no doubt spent plenty of time with the Weaver. The developers aren't entirely happy with the Weaver; they feel that as players have grown more powerful, the finesse of a Weaver has less of a place on the battlefield. Rather than reworking the class from the ground up, however, the team is pushing through some big new upgrades for Weavers to keep them as terrifying in a mechanical sense as they are in a physical sense.

            The two biggest changes are the addition of Venom pips and the Ensnared debuff. Venom pips will increase a Weaver's poison damage and can be consumed via two new skills. Ensnared, on the other hand, stacks on players whom a Weaver has slowed and can be converted into Venom pips and damage. The control elements of the class are also seeing some upgrades and enhancements aimed at keeping spiders dangerous in the battlefield, ensuring that the first reaction of "smash that spider!" is in fact the correct one.

            MassivelyWhat a tangled web Lord of the Rings Online weaves, especially for Weavers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Summoner's Guidebook: Get back, get back!

            Posted: 23 Feb 2012 03:00 PM PST

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            Last week, I said I would avoid doing articles on the situational "soft skills" in League of Legends. Well, this week kind of ruins that already. Today we're going to talk about lane positioning, zoning, and harassment. These things are not something I can just give you blanket tips on. There are a lot of nuances involved in good positioning, and every single matchup is completely different. You do not stand in the same places laning against Cassiopeia as you do against Kennen, and those positions change depending on which character you're playing, too.

            Even though there is a lot of matchup-specific knowledge involved in lane positioning, there are some general tips I can provide. This week I'm going to only teach you about the basics of lane safety but give you some dirty mindgame tricks that will absolutely ruin your opponents. Interested? Read on!

            Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Get back, get back!

            MassivelyThe Summoner's Guidebook: Get back, get back! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Unraveling DDO's Web of Chaos: Turbine talks Update 13

              Posted: 23 Feb 2012 02:00 PM PST

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              DDO
              The vanguard of the free-to-play MMO movement is bearing down on the industry this spring, as Dungeons and Dragons Online prepares for its sixth birthday, its 13th update, and its first expansion. We sat down with Turbine Executive Producer Fernando Paiz and Senior Producer Eric Boyer to talk about this coming Monday's Update 13 and what players have to look forward to once it goes live.

              Update 13 comes at what could be seen as a renaissance in the game's history. Following DDO's transition to F2P, Turbine saw an upsurge in players and profits that continues to this day. Paiz said that "the game is doing very well," and while he did not disclose numbers, he feels that DDO's status as one of the first F2P adaptations gave it a lead that others have yet to overtake.

              Even so, with only five updates in 2011, it's hard to deny that DDO has faded into the background somewhat as newer titles and more recent F2P transitions hogged the spotlight. Turbine means to rectify this: "I think it's safe to say that this year we're making some noise again," Paiz said confidently. He went on to share just why this Monday's patch will be one of the most pivitol in DDO's history.

              Continue reading Unraveling DDO's Web of Chaos: Turbine talks Update 13

              MassivelyUnraveling DDO's Web of Chaos: Turbine talks Update 13 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                City of Heroes announces Spring 2012 Player Summit

                Posted: 23 Feb 2012 01:00 PM PST

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                It's called a Pummit, people. Get with it.
                City of Heroes players, have you ever wanted to meet with the Paragon Studios devs and spew your ideas at them? Of course you have. Well, your chance to do just that is on the horizon, as City of Heroes' second annual Player Summit (or Pummit, for short) will be taking place on April 28th of this year at Dinah's Garden Hotel in Palo Alto, California. Tickets are on sale now via Brown Paper Tickets for the discounted price of $40 US. Tickets will also be available at the door for the slightly higher price of $50 US. The price of admission includes access to the event (durr), a City of Heroes t-shirt, dinner, and "a promo code [that the studio will] announce at a later date."

                The Pummit itself will be chock-full of events that are sure to pique any CoH player's interest, such as a variety of panels, workshops, and -- most importantly -- cocktail hour with the development team. Between the Design a Costume Set and Design a Power Set workshops, the story and endgame panel, and booze and karaoke with the team, players of all types are bound to find something that tickles their fancy. For the full details on City of Heroes' 2012 Pummit, just click on through the link below to the official announcement.

                MassivelyCity of Heroes announces Spring 2012 Player Summit originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                The Guild Counsel: Stop yelling!

                Posted: 23 Feb 2012 12:00 PM PST

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                Bobby Knight yelling
                Guild leaders and raid leaders have a bad reputation for being loud, cantankerous, and well, mean. If you make a mistake, you'd better brace yourself for an in-your-face, five-minute reaming-out in front of friends and guildmates. Not all leaders are like that, but it's common enough that it tends to be the standard M.O. that players picture of those in charge.

                It's time for the yelling to stop. It's giving guilds, and MMOs in general, a bad image, and it really isn't necessary. In fact, it's quite likely that all that yelling ends up making your guild less productive when all is said and done. In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll look at four reasons it's time for guild leaders to calm down and stop the screaming.

                Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Stop yelling!

                MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Stop yelling! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  The Perfect Ten: Clever ideas

                  Posted: 23 Feb 2012 11:00 AM PST

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                  Perfect Ten
                  I'm a sucker for a good, clever idea. You know the type: the ideas that make you slap yourself on the forehead and shout, "Why didn't I think of that first?" Or for the less humble of us out there, "Why, I did think of that first! But I got lost on the way to the patent office and I'm pretty sure that someone stole my dream journal to pilfer my genius notions!"

                  While critics point their fingers at the MMO industry and proclaim it a barren wasteland of innovation, there are quite a few awesome -- if small -- ideas that bubble up in MMO and move the genre forward. Maybe they're teeny-tiny baby steps; maybe they're giant hopscotch leaps over the six-spot with the rock in the middle. But these ideas can and have had the power to change how these games are made and played.

                  So this week I'm saluting 10 clever ideas, both large and diminutive, as a reward for a job well done!

                  Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Clever ideas

                  MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Clever ideas originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    HeroEngine licensing takes off thanks to SWTOR's success

                    Posted: 23 Feb 2012 10:30 AM PST

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                    HeroEngine logo
                    The HeroEngine is making waves in MMO development circles these days, primarily as a result of BioWare's having used it to build Star Wars: The Old Republic. Idea Fabrik says thousands of would-be developers have licensed the tool suite in recent weeks.

                    The firm has also seen a sharp increase in subscribers for its HeroCloud service offering, which is basically a hosted system for making online RPGs, FPS titles, and social/casual games. Idea Fabrik COO Neil Harris says the technology is now a proven commodity thanks to its widespread adoption. "We crossed a major milestone once large games built on HeroEngine proved that our server technology can handle a hugely successful game. This lowers the perceived risk of developers in adopting the HeroEngine platform," he said.

                    The HeroEngine is also powering several indie sandbox titles, including Origins of Malu, The Repopulation, and Dominus. The engine was initially developed by Simutronics for a now-defunct MMO called Hero's Journey.

                    [Source: Idea Fabrik press release]

                    MassivelyHeroEngine licensing takes off thanks to SWTOR's success originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      Ask Massively: Big questions deserve big answers edition

                      Posted: 23 Feb 2012 10:00 AM PST

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                      Assume the fish is a question, not just an enormous sunfish.  Public domain photos are odd.
                      Some questions are just too good to leave to my sole discretion. I like to think that I can provide a reasonable response to a number of questions, but I also think there are some questions that merit more opinions. Case in point: a question last week from potaco about whether or not it's harder to focus on a single game instead of several games as a Massively employee. So I'm consolidating responses from the whole team right now, and we'll have an answer to that question this week.

                      This week's Ask Massively is still packed, however, with questions about getting a new computer for World of Warcraft and Star Wars: The Old Republic as well as whether or not Guild Wars 2 will provide credible competition for other games when it launches. If you've got a question you would like to see answered in a future installment of the column, mail it along to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited slightly for brevity and/or clarity.

                      Continue reading Ask Massively: Big questions deserve big answers edition

                      MassivelyAsk Massively: Big questions deserve big answers edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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