General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Average Screen Resolution Hits New, Widescreen High

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 11:31 AM PDT

Things are looking up for PC users! And by that, we mean bigger and sharper. A couple of months back, we told you that the average monitor size had increased 3 inches in just 4 years and that multi-display setups were becoming more popular. Now comes word that resolutions are starting to catch up: today, StatCounter reported more people rock 1366x768 than any other resolution, the first time that a widescreen format has taken the top of the charts.

To be fair, StatCounter only started keeping tracking of screen resolutions back in March of 2009. Up until now, the numbers were dominated by a boxy old standby: 1024x768, which held a whopping 41.8 percent of the market in that initial March 2009 report. The giant has fallen to just 18.6 percent today, however; meanwhile, 1366x768 has skyrocketed from a 0.68 percent share to a 19.28 percent share in the same timeframe. 1280x800 sits in third place with 13 percent.

"The data reflects a continuing trend of users moving to larger screen resolution sizes," StatCounter CEO Aodhan Cullen said on the company's blog. Given that 1366x768 is a very common laptop resolution, I wonder if it also reflects a growth in notebook usage?

Musing aside, it'd be great if display manufacturers started focusing more on quality (i.e., pixel density) rather than size. After staring at my HTC ReZound for a while -- which crams 720x1280 into a 4.3 screen for a PPI of 342 -- it almost hurts going back to 1366x768 on a 15-plus inch laptop or desktop display. Get on the ball, people!

Kubuntu Dodges Bullet, Finds New Sponsor

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 10:55 AM PDT

Canonical, the company that sponsors Ubuntu Linux, announced back in February that it would no longer be funding Kubuntu -- a fork that uses the KDE desktop environment  rather Ubuntu's Unity interface -- after the release of Kubuntu 12.04. Things looked bleak for Kubuntu as the lone full time dev working on the distro began looking for a new job. Yesterday, the dark cloud lifted: Kubuntu found a new sponsor.

Kubuntu will remain a largely community-driven distribution, but Blue Systems -- which funds several KDE-focused software projects -- will pick up developer Jonathan Riddell's salary starting in May, at the beginning of the Kubuntu 12.10 cycle. Riddell last day at Canonical is May 11th. Additionally, Geek.com reports that Blue Systems will be providing more funds for expenses and promotional costs related to Kubuntu. Yay!

Don't worry about the new boss coming in and shaking things up, either. From the Kubuntu blog: "Blue Systems sponsors a number of KDE projects and will encourage Kubuntu to follow the same successful formula as it has always had - community led, KDE focused, Ubuntu flavor."

Of course, with Kubuntu being an open, community-driven Linux distro, you could always contribute some time and expertise of your own to the project. Just sayin'.

Tons Of New Ultrabooks On The Way With Lower Prices And Higher Standards

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 10:22 AM PDT

Sick of hearing about Ultrabooks yet? If so, you'd better grab some Pepto Bismol. PC manufacturers have jumped onto Intel's slim n' fast bandwagon with almost astonishing vigor;  the first Ultrabooks didn't even hit the streets until the end of last year, and a whopping 21 variations have dropped in the scant 5 months since. That's just the tip of the iceberg, however. Intel says that there are a full 75 more Ultrabooks already in development, and that lower price points and stricter standards are also coming.

Intel also told PC World that it expects Ultrabooks to dip below the $700 price point by the time the kids head back to school this fall. The flood of offerings no doubt helps drive prices down, but the lowering of the initially vaunted "Ultrabook standard" probably doesn't hurt, either. Conceptually, Ultrabooks were supposed to be thin, sleek, long-lasting SSD-sporting notebooks that blended power and portability, but that ideal has faltered a bit in the past few months as thicker, HDD-packing "Ultrabooks" -- some of which even have optical drives -- have come to market.

Intel says that Ultrabooks will see even more variation as time goes on, including "hybrid" Ultrabooks like Lenovo's IdeaPad Yoga. But don't let that discourage you: Intel plans on cracking down on notebooks that call themselves Ultrabooks, but don't meet Intel's guidelines -- partly by excluding them from the marketing blitz Intel has scheduled for the format.

"Intel plans to ensure Ultrabooks have a consistent experience. And if it's too thick it won't be called an Ultrabook," Intel's Kirk Skaugen told PC World. "It won't be allowed to be called an Ultrabook because Ultrabook is a trademark of Intel and we can protect the trademark."

Time will tell whether or not that bark has a bite behind it.

GameStop Agrees to Issue DLC Warning Signs on Used Game Racks

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 08:16 AM PDT

A class action lawsuit has put the onus on GameStop, not videogame publishers, to warn buyers of used games that they will be unable to access certain downloadable content (DLC) and online features unless they pony up an additional $15 for an online pass. GameStop could have fought against the measure, but opted for a settlement that requires the world's largest games retailer to post warning signs on shelves where used games are sold in California stores, as well as online, for the next two years.

GameStop also agreed to reimburse 'PowerUp Rewards' customers with a $10 check and a $5 coupon if they purchased a qualifying game. Customers who purchased a qualifying title but aren't part of GameStop's PowerUp program are eligible to receive a $5 check and $10 coupon.

"We are pleased that as a result of this lawsuit, we were able to obtain complete restitution for consumers, with actual money paid out to people who were harmed by GameStop's conduct," said Mark Pifko, Baron and Budd attorney and counsel in the lawsuit. "The in-store and online warnings are an important benefit under the settlement as well, because if GameStop discloses the truth to consumers, it is unlikely that they will be able to continue selling used copies of certain games for only $5 less than the price of a new copy. In fact, we already know that not long after the lawsuit was filed, GameStop lowered prices for used copies of many of the game titles identified in the lawsuit."

The class action lawsuit took issue with the price of online passes even though game packaging lists DLC as being available for free with the purchase of a game. Since GameStop is the one selling used games, it's the one that came under fire, rather than the game publishers who instituted the additional fee.

According to the lawsuit, GameStop rakes in more than $2 billion a year on used game sales, all of which is royalty free.

Do you agree with the settlement, or do you think game publishers should be held accountable?

Image Credit: Facebook (Baron & Budd)

Western Digital Paves Way for Cheaper Ultrabooks with New 7mm Mobile Hard Drive

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 07:43 AM PDT

Western Digital has begun shipping its new WD Scorpio Blue 7mm hard drive line, the newest edition to its mobile HDD family and the one with the lowest power consumption. These 2.5-inch drives are fully compatible with industry-standard 9.5mm slots found in mainstream notebooks and slimmer laptops, but they're really designed to shine in Ultrabooks as an alternative to costly solid state drives that fall short on storage space.

The WD Scorpio Blue drives feature a single platter, small form factor design and are available in 500GB and 320GB capacities. Western Digital says they're specified to best-in-class 400Gs shock tolerance, so while you probably wouldn't want to toss your Ultrabook down a flight of stairs, these drives should have no problem dealing with the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

"Consumers want thin and light personal computers, but the limited storage capacity of SSD-based notebooks forces them to pick and choose what files to bring from their library," said Matt Rutledge, vice president and general manager for WD client storage products. "With the release of the new WD Scorpio Blue 7mm mobile hard drives, WD is able to offer capacity, reliability and data-protection features combined with excellent power management all in a slim form factor perfect for thin and light notebooks."

The drives are available now via select distributors and resellers. Pricing has been set to $100 for the 500GB model and $80 for the 320GB model, both of which are backed by a two-year limited warranty.

Image Credit: Western Digital

Toshiba Super Sizes New Android Tablet Line with 13-inch Model

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 07:02 AM PDT

Does the world need or want a 13-inch Android tablet? We're about to find out. Toshiba this week announced the expansion of its Excite line of Android tablets, of which there will be three new display sizes. Two of them are fairly traditional -- 10.1 inches and 7.7 inches -- but the monster sized 13-inch variant is the one everyone is talking about. When it debuts this summer, it will be the largest Android tablet to date.

"One size does not fit all, so we are carefully considering how and where people are using tablets and designing form factors to best suit various needs," said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "With amazingly thin and light designs, our new Excite family of tablets continues to incorporate what consumers have come to love about Toshiba tablets: essential ports for a more complete tablet computing experience plus durability that ensures they can go the distance."

Size shenanigans aside, all three tablets storm into the scene with sturdy aluminum shells and scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass displays. Nvidia's Tegra 3 '4-Plus-1' processor and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) team up to form the hardware and software foundation, along with a 5MP rear-facing camera, 2MP front-facing camera, stereo speakers with sound enhancements by Toshiba and SRS Labs, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 1GB of RAM, and robust connectivity options that include micro USB port and micro HDMI ports and a full sized SD card slot (the 7.7-inch model doesn't have a micro HDMI slot).

The 13-inch Excite will feature a 1600x900 native resolution, while the 10.1-inch boasts a 1280x800 resolution. Toshiba didn't reveal what resolution the 7.7-inch model will run.

Pricing and release dates breaks down as follows:

  • Excite 13: Beginning of June for $650 (32GB) and $750 (64GB)
  • Excite 10: Beginning of May for $450 (16GB), $530 (32GB), and $650 (64GB)
  • Excite 7.7: Beginning of June for $500 (16GB) and $580 (32GB)

It will be interesting to see how consumers react to these new models. At a glance, it appears Toshiba is pricing the Excite out of contention -- all too common when it comes to Android tablets -- but will the thrill of a 13-inch display sway users into spending more? We'll find out come June.

Image Credit: Toshiba

Latest Chrome Beta Lets You Sync Tabs Across Multiple Devices

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 06:03 AM PDT

The latest Chrome Beta features the ability to sync tabs across multiple devices, Google revealed in a blog post Tuesday. The ability to sync tabs has been a long time coming as far as Chrome is concerned, with Firefox having had it as an integrated feature since the release of version 4 last year. More after the jump.

In its blog post, Google described a typical usage scenario thus: "Imagine you've looked up directions to a cool new restaurant on your home computer. Later, when you're leaving work, you realize you can't quite remember how to get there. If only you could quickly pull up the same directions on your office computer with one click!"

"Well, with the latest Chrome Beta, you can. When you're signed in to Chrome, the tabs you have open on one device are available on all your other devices—just click the "Other devices" menu on the New Tab page."

Apart from open tabs, Chrome will also sync the tabs' back and forward navigation history across all your devices, allowing you to "pick up browsing right where you left off."

Image Credit: Google

Gartner Predicts iPad Sales Will Dominate Android for at Least Four More Years

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 06:00 AM PDT

Tablet sales are expected to reach 118.9 million units by the end of the year, a nearly two-fold increase (98 percent) from 60 million units in 2011, market research firm Gartner predicts. It's no surprise that Apple's iPad leads the way and, if Gartner's crystal ball is in proper alignment, the iOS platform will account for more than 61 percent of worldwide tablet sales by the end of 2012. That too isn't shocking. But would you have guessed that Android will still be chasing iOS through 2016, and perhaps longer?

It wasn't all that long ago when iOS dominated smartphone sales, but it took Android less than three years to skip ahead after it was introduced in 2008. Android's big advantage, as far as market penetration goes, is that numerous carriers and hardware manufacturers are invested in the platform, whereas Apple is the only one that builds and sells iOS devices, and for awhile the iPhone was only available at AT&T. For the most part, the same advantages now apply to the tablet market, so why is it taking Android so long to catch up?

"Despite PC vendors and phone manufacturers wanting a piece of the pie and launching themselves into the media tablet market, so far, we have seen very limited success outside of Apple with its iPad," said Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner. "As vendors struggled to compete on price and differentiate enough on either the hardware or ecosystem, inventories were built and only 60 million units actually reached the hands of consumers across the world. The situation has not improved in early 2012, when the arrival of the new iPad has reset the benchmark for the product to beat."

"It appears that this year competitors have waited to see what Apple would bring out — because there were very few announcements of new media tablets at either the Consumer Electronics Show or Mobile World Congress. Many vendors will wait for Windows 8 to be ready and will try to enter the market with a dual-platform approach, hoping that the Microsoft brand could help them in both the enterprise and consumer markets."

Perhaps that strategy will pay off. Gartner believes enterprise sales of media tables will account for roughly 35 percent of sales in 2015, though IT departments won't necessarily being pushing for Windows 8 tablets. According to Gartner, Windows 8 will only account for 11.8 percent of tablet sales by the end of 2016.

As for Android, Gartner analysts pegged the main issue as being "the lack of applications that are dedicated to tablets and therefore take advantage of their capabilities." In other words, it's the same old song (price) and dance (fragmentation/apps).

MMO News

MMO News


Aion: Ascension launches

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 02:15 PM PDT

Aion: Ascension, the free-to-play model of Aion, has officially launched today.  NCSoft has spent the last week converting current players to the new model, and are now ready to open the game to all who wish to play.

With the update comes the Atreian Atlas, a tool that acts as a personal guide for players as they travel through the game.  This allows players to truly see what lies ahead in their progression through the game.

Several new features have been added to the game with the update as well.  Two new housing districts have been launched, comprised of five different house types: Palace, Estate, Mansion, House and Studio.  Four new mounts are also available: Surfrider, the Pagati, the Sharptooth, and the Flurry.  The level cap of the game has been raised from 55 to 60, and over 600 new quests await players.

The quests are offered in two new zones: Sarpan and Tiamaranta.  One solo, two six-player, two 12 player, and 24 player instances have also been revealed.

NCSoft also publishes Guild Wars and Lineage II.

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Aion Gameplay Screenshot

 Source:

Aion: Ascension™ Launches Today With Truly Free Business Model and Highly Anticipated 3.0 Content

Early Indication Points to Success – Tripled Concurrency Prior to Launch

SEATTLE, April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – NCsoft®, the world’s premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), today launches Aion: Ascension, a powerful combination of its Truly Free business model, pioneered by NCsoft’s Lineage II in 2011, and the highly anticipated 3.0 update. Aion: Ascension introduces new and existing players to refined starting areas and mid-level zones and advanced content for the more experienced Aion player base with no subscriptions, no account tiers and no purchase requirements. Aion: Ascension ultimately underscores the already award-winning content found within the game with yet additional layers of innovative content and business model philosophies.

“We started converting current players to the new business model late last week in preparation for today’s launch and we couldn’t be happier with the response, tripling concurrency in a matter of hours,” said Director of Product Management, Edward Chang, Game Publishing Studios, NCsoft. “We spent a considerable amount of time focused on optimizing Aion: Ascension for the Truly Free business model, and early feedback from the community indicates that we made the right decisions.”

Along with the C.U.B.E. (Customizable User Bundling Experience), an unparalleled system allowing players to customize their Aion marketplace item bundles based on their characters personal needs, Aion: Ascension brings players the Atreian Atlas, an advanced guidance system that acts as a personal pathfinder as players progress through the game. The information revealed within the Atreian Atlas provides insight allowing players to properly prepare for what lays ahead, giving the best MMO experience for new and experienced players alike.

Aion: Ascension also brings players several features as seen in the Aion Vision Trailer, including housing, mounts, new zones and multiplayer instances.

  • Housing
    • Two new housing districts comprised of five types of housing: Palace, Estate, Mansion, House and Studio.
    • Studios are quest-based and everyone will be able have access to one, whereas the houses and mansions are auction-based and will be obtained via a special in-game auction system just for housing.
  • Mounts
    • Mounts are the latest way to get around Atreia in style, and with this update you can travel at ever increasing speed depending on the mount. Players will be able to summon one of four new mounts coming in the update – the Surfrider, the Pagati, the Sharptooth or the Flurry!
  • New level cap of 60
    • More than 600 new quests, bringing a massive content update extending the game as players progress from 55-60.
  • New instances and zones
    • Two new zones – Sarpan and Tiamaranta
    • Six new instances consisting of two 12-player, two six-player, one solo, and one 24-person instance.

Additional information on Aion: Ascension, including images and video assets, can be found here –www.aiononline.com.

Bigpoint and Fox team up for Ice Age Online

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 02:04 PM PDT

Bigpoint has announced they are teaming up with Fox Consumer Products to bring players Ice Age Online.  Based on the world of the hit Ice Age movie series, the game will be browser-based and free-to-play.

Players assume the role of a sloth that finds the perfect place for the herd of animals it is with to live.  The herd, however, gets separated along the way.  Players must find the missing animals, as well as construct a camp for all of them to stay in.  The game will feature an adventure mode where players may collect acorns and building materials, such as coconuts, wood, flowers and mud.

Players will also be able to unlock bonus levels, where they will be able to play as characters from the Ice Age franchise, using their various strengths and skills to clear.

Bigpoint also publishes Battlestar Galactica Online and Dark Orbit.

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Ice Age Online Promotional Screenshot

 Source:

Bigpoint and Fox Consumer Products Herd Together to Launch “Ice Age Online” an Entertaining Online Browser Game

Free-to-Play Game to Launch alongside Global Film Premiere of Ice Age: Continental Drift, in theaters in 3D July 2012

SAN FRANCISCO, April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Bigpoint– a global leader in online games – today announced its partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products to develop an online game based on Ice Age, the hit motion picture franchise.  With access to the most popular characters and settings from the films, the free-to-play browser game – Ice Age Online will give fans a new way to experience the entertaining prehistoric storylines.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120411/CL85967)

“We’re excited to work with one of the most successful film franchises of all time,” said Heiko Hubertz, CEO and founder, Bigpoint. “We’re equally happy to begin working with Fox on this project and are eager to give Ice Age fans another way to enjoy the fun they’ve had at the movies.”

In Ice Age Online, players assume the role of a sloth that recently discovered the perfect place for animals from the herd to live.  Along the way, the herd gets separated and lost. Players must rescue the lost animals and build up a camp for them to live.  In the adventure mode, players collect precious acorns and construction materials – such as wood, flowers, coconuts, and mud – from locations based on the film franchise, including Ice Age: Continental Drift, the fourth animated film from the franchise releasing from Twentieth Century Fox in theaters in 3D July 2012. Acorns and materials are used to build camps for the rescued animals to live.

“Video games and film have an organic connection, and the online game space offers virtually limitless creative opportunities to extend the cinematic experience and the Ice Age brand,” said Jeffrey Godsick, President of Fox Consumer Products. “Bigpoint, the market-leading pioneer among online video game companies, is the natural choice for us to partner with in building the world of Ice Age Online.”

Customization & Socialization

At the beginning of the game, players have the opportunity to customize their sloth character.  Options include gender selection, multiple color and fur combinations, special haircuts and headdresses, and a number of wardrobe choices.  The game will also offer a number of socialization features, including friend lists and activity trackers, leaderboards, and the ability to challenge other players and friends.  Friends can also visit each other’s camps to see which animals have been rescued and leave gifts of food and construction materials.

As players progress through the game they will unlock bonus levels. In these special levels, players will compete as other popular characters from Ice Age in specially-designed gameplay that puts each character’s unique strengths to the test.

Ice Age Online will be built atop the Unity development platform, which allows high-end graphics to be displayed in common web browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer.

April Extravaganza begins in Rohan Online

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 01:50 PM PDT

YNK Interactive has announced the April events for Rohan Online.  Several new items and features have been recently added to the game, and more is to come.

Every player will receive a free Hunter Kit, which allows for 15 days of assistance in player hunts.  Weekends will offer players 25% increased odds for forging, refining, and reinforcement odds.  With this, the new Chimera weapon has been introduced, and players who reinforce the weapon to +6 by the end of the event on May 8 will get a permanent version of it.

A new mystery box containing premium items will be added to the cash shop, and players who complete the Spring quest will also receive Talisman prizes.

YNK Interactive also publishes Seal Online and K.O.S. Secret Operations

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R.O.H.A.N. Gameplay Screenshot

 Source:

R.O.H.A.N.: BLOOD FEUD: UP ANOTHER LEVEL

Join the R.O.H.A.N. rage this month with a plethora of events and updates

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – April 10, 2011 – Online PC game publisher YNK Interactive revealed today the April Extravaganza events for the popular free MMORPG, R.O.H.A.N.: Blood Feud.

"Players will have a blast with all of the new items and features we've recently added," said Rafael Cho, Lead Project Manager of YNK Interactive.  "And just in case players haven't had enough surprises, we're giving everyone a free Hunter Kit, to help them hunt and rage in R.O.H.A.N.  Now what company has ever done that before?"

April Extravaganza begins today and ends May 8th.  It consists of special Spring quests, release of the Chimera weapon, addition of the Hunter Kit feature, the reveal of the highly anticipated mystery box in the new Premium Mall, and a weekend boost on all rates.

As part of the celebration, all characters, current and new, will receive the Hunter Kit for free.  This unique feature aids players in hunting for 15 days.  During the weekends, there will be a 25% increase on all forging, refining, and reinforcement rates.  In conjunction, all players will be able to get the Chimera weapon through drops from monsters throughout the ROHAN world, which are suitable for mid-level characters.  The best deal is that players who reinforce their Chimera weapon to +6 by May 8th, will be able to keep it permanently.  A mystery box that contains premium items will also be available to purchase in the Premium Mall.  Talisman prizes will also be awarded to all players who finish the Spring quest.

For more details on April Extravaganza, visit www.PlayRohan.com.

Spirit Tales releases new comic

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 01:27 PM PDT

KoramGame’s Spirit Tales has just begun a new web comic to keep players entertained while waiting for open beta.

You can catch the first episode of the comic here, where Spirit Tales looks into what it takes to have the “Warrior’s Spirit.”

Spirit Tales is hosting a live stream event this Friday, and will begin open beta on April 25.

50557  420x310 spirit tales comic

Third War of the Worlds begins in Legacy of the Dragons

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 11:54 AM PDT

MailRU has released a new special week-long feature for Legend: Legacy of the Dragons.

Until April 17, players can battle in a cross-realm war known as “Third War of the Worlds.” Each player can represent their server and enter the new Ancient Temple of the Chosen, and fight beside or against other realms. Victors gain points based on completed matches, with the top server being crowned the true Dragons. Points can also be used to win prizes including 80,000 valor and a set of Red Weapons for the champion of each server.

Mail.ru also publishes Riot Zone and Juggernaut.

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Legend: Legacy of Dragon Gameplay Screenshot

 Source:

THIRD WAR OF THE WORLDS ROCKS LEGEND: LEGACY OF THE DRAGONS

Represent Your Server With Pride

Hamburg, Germany – April 11, 2012 – MailRU has unveiled a new feature for their smash online title Legacy of the Dragons! ( http://warofdragons.com/) From now until April 17th, fight against fellow warriors from the English, Polish, German, Spanish, Italian, and French servers in an all-out cross-realm war known as the Third War of the Worlds.

Representing your server means entering the newly unveiled Ancient Temple of the Chosen. Meet warriors from different servers in the Arena of Underground Knights, the Crystalline Caves, and of course the Temple, where you will fight alongside or against these new compatriots. Victors will be awarded points based on which match is completed, and only one server will be crowned the true Dragons.

Individual effort does not go unrecognized: accrue 100 points on the battlefield and win up to 80,000 valor, used to purchase items from the reward shop. The single warrior who receives the most points per server will also receive a coveted set of Red Weapons. There is extremely few of these available now, and only six will be rewarded during the Third War.

Will you be the victor?

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates


Blue Tears (CN)

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 05:41 AM PDT

cb690 bt1 Blue Tears (CN)

I do know cute, fast and action sounds like a weird mixture in an online game, but at least that was what I felt icon smile Blue Tears (CN) Originally published by NCsoft back in Korea under the title “Punch Monster”, the game was unceremoniously canceled by the company in just a few months. Personally, I blame NCsoft for not placing more efforts into marketing the game and getting the right team to manage this action + casual side-scroller. NCsoft failed with Dragonica Korea as well (now under Gravity Korea as Dragon Saga), hence I shall give the label of “King of Failed Casual Games” to NCsoft.

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Luckily, Punch Monster’s development studio is not under NCsoft, hence the game continued to thrive in other countries, such as China where I had my fair share of fun. Weekday evenings and weekends are a chore though, with the server practically full 24/7 and proving near impossible to log into the channels with less than a 30 minutes wait… This happens even when certain level ranges will only get bonus EXP for entering selected channels.

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Now called Blue Tears in other Asian countries, I must say that I was surprised at myself for lasting so long in the game given that I am a “retired” MMO player. Sort of anyway. While Dungeon Fighter Online is no doubt the king of action side-scroller, Blue Tears is not far behind in the speed category in terms of combat. That is what I really liked about the game (to hell with MapleStory) and the really cute design, which some comparing it with Paper Mario.

Class selection is pretty standard, with 3 basic ones branching out into 2 advanced ones. I chose to be a warrior, and then continued to being a Dragon Knight, which is essentially the tanker. To some extent, I never really felt like a tanker until I upgraded my equipments to +8, and even then I felt paper thin against some bosses in the special dungeons (mentioned below) while normal dungeons are a breeze for me. Giving up my shield recently, I reset my skill points (and taunts) and decided to go a 2-handed spear style… No one kicked me out of a party for that, yet. I am dealing decent damage with many defensive buffs, hence I am quite happy with it.

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For skills, players get 1 point upon leveling. However, you don’t really just add a point to the skill. Instead, you add the points to enhance the skills. For example, a skill call Dragon Wave will come with 2 enhancement options, 1 which will increase damage, while the other increase the number of foes it hits. Each of this enhancement skills can be leveled up to a maximum of 9 from what I observed. If you added 3 points to the enhancements, the main skill will automatically be level 4 (level 1 to use) and have increased attributes. Though there are a couple of games using this system, it is no doubt still a rarity.

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While there are open world maps for quests and bosses, there are the signature instance dungeons as well. Each dungeon will have up to 3 difficulties, requiring players to unlock them after completing an easier one. Unfortunately, there are limited times a players can enter dungeons each day given the 1000 dungeon points. But I am not complaining, since the points are really more than enough for me on a weekday. There will be special bonus objectives when entering the dungeons, such as “Get hit less than 50 times” or “Use less than 50 potions”, most of which are really easy to achieve.

Next, there are the special dungeons which players can only enter 2 times each day. These dungeons are much tougher, monsters have insane amount of health points and the bosses are really a pain in the @$$. I got mined kicked really hard when entering the mid-levels one for the first time. Other than quests, these special dungeons’ monsters drops items which allows you to trade for NPC set-item gears at the entrance. While it sounds easy, collecting them (up to hundreds of them) is really time consuming. Not that I am complaining, I think no one should since these are basically free gears requiring just patience.

I am really impressed with the abundance of quests found in Blue Tears, since they really never stop appearing after completing older ones. Yes, most of them are the classic “Kill X monsters” or “Collect X materials”, but somehow I never really got tired of repeating the same formula, at least for the past 2 weeks. The game is bright and the models, environment are all clear and vivid, and while emulating some sort of childishness in the design style, is not too over the bar.

Given that the game is developed in Korea and being published in cash-rich China, there is no doubt a couple of advantages using the cash shop. For example, I can boost my strength by 20% after equipping my pet with a skill bought from the cash shop. Granted, there is not really any guild battles except simple 1 on 1 PvP, I think it is really ok… Well, I spent a hundred on the game so far, I am enjoying it :p

There is actually a little bit “fairness” in terms of upgrading equipments, where items which boosts success rate by 10% and items which prevent destruction cannot be used at the same time. At certain intervals, for example from +4 to +5 and +7 to +8, there are no penalties other than failing and losing the gold. In fact, equipments will not break until from +10 and onwards. However, even equipments will fall down 1 level if the upgrade fails. From +2 to +1 is really… Argh…

There are various other features such as automated fishing (chance to get an ultra rare fish as ingredient), the various costumes and mounts, bounty system for bosses and also a card game which I never really tried. You might be thinking “Wait, ain’t this just another Korean grinder?”… Well, it really is. Sometimes, a generic game just has that strange alluring charm which attracts the naysayers to give it a try, which in this case, is me. I think I need to see a shrink soon.  A MMO shrink.

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Similar Article: http://www.mmoculture.com/2012/04/blue-tears-cn-cute-and-fast-with-tons.html

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Path of Exile

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 05:41 AM PDT

d7fe5 poe1 Path of Exile

[Game website] Crowd-funding seems to be the hottest thing right now in the gaming industry, with developers trying to get the financials in order to operate and sell games themselves. Those pesky publishers like EA should really do some self-reflection. Back to the MMO, Path of Exile, developer Grinding Gear Games sent out a press release earlier to extend their thanks to the gamer who bought virtual points even before the game is out. USD 200,000 from 13,000 players is by no means a small amount seeing that it only took them 6 days. You can still contribute (link) and Open Beta is currently scheduled in June.

MEDIA RELEASE

Indie Action RPG Path of Exile crowd-funds $200,000 over Easter

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – 11 April 2012 – Following a hugely popular
public test weekend, the makers of Indie Action RPG Path of Exile, New
Zealand-based Grinding Gear Games, have launched a 'crowd-funding'
campaign where players can pre-purchase game currency and receive
rewards such as Closed Beta Keys and exclusive in-game pets in return.

In first six days the free-to-play 'ethical microtransaction' funded
action RPG has sold over USD$200,000 worth of supporter packs to 13,000
fans.

The previous weekend 46,911 players stress tested the game. "We
literally had hundreds of people asking how they could support the game
to get to Open Beta sooner. We were blown away by the community
enthusiasm at the stress test weekend, so we moved quickly to open our
shop earlier than planned. We've been blown away again by the support
over Easter," says Grinding Gear Games' co-founder Chris Wilson.

13 people have bought the $1,000 Diamond Supporter package, which will
let them help design one of the game's Unique magic items.

Path of Exile features its own dark, gritty take on the Action RPG
genre, a unique skill gem system, a huge passive skill tree and PvP
combat in a persistent online world.

"The crowd-funding presales mean Path of Exile will enter Open Beta in
June with three acts of content. Although we plan to pile on the
content for years to come, further support will greatly accelerate it
and help pay for our US and European servers."

Grinding Gear Games have committed to never charge for content or power.
"Selling supporter packs and currency has also been a great test of our
'ethical microtransaction' philosophy. We hate the concept of
pay-to-win games, so it's great to see that players are willing to
support the game and to buy purely cosmetic items," says Wilson.

A range of supporter packs are available on Path of Exile's website.
The cheapest tier is $10 which includes Closed Beta access. Higher tiers
come with in-game Kiwi bird Pets, a collector's edition copy of the
game, t-shirts, soundtracks, signed posters, and the option to design a
Unique Item. All packs include game currency which can be used to buy
extra character slots and stash tabs for compulsive item hoarding. More
personalisation options and player services are planned for the Open
Beta.

Any purchases made now will continue into the Open Beta, although Closed
Beta characters and non-microtransaction items will be wiped upon
entering Open Beta in approximately June.

During the stress test weekend, 46,911 people tried the game with the
servers successfully handling a peak load of 7310 players. "The stress
test was great – we learnt a lot about how people are playing and
enjoying the game. We've built Path of Exile as an online game with PvP
and support for various leagues and game modes from the ground up, and
we're really pleased with how the servers performed," says Wilson.

Path of Exile has been in development for five years by Grinding Gear
Games, an independent studio of hardcore RPG fans based in Auckland, New
Zealand.

Key features of 'Path of Exile':

- Completely free to download and play, but never 'pay-to-win'
- A persistent online world capable of supporting hundreds of thousands of players
- A dark and gritty game world rendered from a fixed 3D perspective
- Randomly generated levels and items for extreme replayability
- Online ranking and ladders for every game mode
- Visceral combat with dozens of combinable skills
- Battle in PVP tournaments for worldwide recognition
- Dynamic skill system

Similar Article: http://www.mmoculture.com/2012/04/path-of-exile-developer-thanks-easter.html

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GameStop Settles Lawsuit, Will Warn California Consumers About Used Game DLC

Posted: 10 Apr 2012 11:41 PM PDT

 GameStop Settles Lawsuit, Will Warn California Consumers About Used Game DLC

A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit filed over two years ago in the state of California. The retailer was accused of deceptively misleading consumers into believing used games they purchased would include bonus downloadable content when, in fact, that content was only available for free to the games’ original owners.

According to a press release issued today, a United States District Court judge approved the settlement reached between GameStop and law firm Baron and Budd, which was representing plaintiff James Collins. There are two aspects to the settlement, one of which includes consumers getting money back from GameStop. Those who purchased qualifying used games and are PowerUp Rewards members (the new-ish name for the store’s loyalty program) are eligible to receive a check for $10 and a $5 coupon. Those who are not members can get a $5 check and a $10 coupon.

Details on what games qualify were not mentioned in the press release; the original lawsuit listed games like Dragon Age Origins, Mass Effect 2, and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 as those which include one-use codes that unlock content for new game buyers. A Facebook page has been set up by Baron and Budd to inform consumers on the details of the settlement.

The issue raised in the lawsuit was not over these games having such DLC, but because this DLC is advertised as being free on each game’s box art. (A used game that is $5 cheaper than a new copy isn’t such a bargain if you have to spend $10 or $15 to get DLC included with the new copy for free.) As such, GameStop’s website and stores located in California (as that is the state in which the lawsuit was filed) will have to post signs for the next two years indicating that an additional purchase may be required for access to any advertised DLC.

f8b6c 123 GameStop Settles Lawsuit, Will Warn California Consumers About Used Game DLC

“We are pleased that as a result of this lawsuit, we were able to obtain complete restitution for consumers, with actual money paid out to people who were harmed by GameStop’s conduct,” said Baron and Budd attorney Mark Pifko. “The in-store and online warnings are an important benefit under the settlement as well, because if GameStop discloses the truth to consumers, it is unlikely that they will be able to continue selling used copies of certain games for only $5 less than the price of a new copy. In fact, we already know that not long after the lawsuit was filed, GameStop lowered prices for used copies of many of the game titles identified in the lawsuit.”

The press release encourages those living in other states to contact Baron and Budd if they feel they’ve run into the same issue with GameStop. The monetary aspect of the settlement is sure to encourage many consumers to seek a similar outcome in their home state, but it’s the other part that GameStop should be enacting in all of its stores.

You could argue GameStop shouldn’t have to be responsible for informing consumers about the way online passes work. But as long as the company continues to generate so much money off of the sale of used games, it doesn’t seem unreasonable that it provide some indication that what’s shown on a game’s box art is not necessarily indicative of what consumers will be receiving. Not everyone who shops in the company’s stores is a savvy gamer familiar with the concept of DLC or online passes.

GameStop has in at least one case taken steps to provide used game buyers with a more comparable experience to that of buying a game new. Batman: Arkham City‘s Catwoman content was locked behind an online pass, but the store provided a new code to unlock that content with used copies. More often than not, however, that is not the case.

This may all become a moot point if the next generation of consoles prohibit the use of secondhand games, and if not because of that, then the eventual move to games being digital-only will have the same effect. With there being a distinct possibility that used games will stick around for at least another generation, though, GameStop may continue to face this sort of criticism until online passes are eliminated (not happening) or it takes steps to better educate consumers. Doing so might even turn into a business opportunity if it begins selling online passes in the same way it already does DLC.

Similar Article: http://www.1up.com/news/gamestop-settles-lawsuit-used-game-dlc

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Epic Working On PC Exclusive

Posted: 10 Apr 2012 05:41 PM PDT

Epic is working a new PC exclusive title. According to a recent post on Gamespot, Epic president Mike Capps 703e6 Epic Games 257x300 Epic Working On PC Exclusiveconfirmed this at a panel with designer Cliff 'CliffyB' Bleszinski at PAX East over the weekend, saying:

"We might be working on a PC-only title," before CliffyB confirmed it by stating, "Let me say that again: we are working on a PC game."

There were no further details as to what the game was exactly or even whether it was a new IP or not, but the news comes after Cliffy B shut down any more doubts over the cancellation of rumoured Kinect Gear Of War title 'Exile': "Gears of War: Exile was an unannounced game that I can't give any details about that has since been cancelled."

Similar Article: http://www.totalpcgaming.com/latest-pc-news/epic-working-on-pc-exclusive/

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Resident Evil 6 and the Death of Camp

Posted: 10 Apr 2012 11:41 AM PDT

What’s so terrible about DmC? People sure were angry when Capcom revealed this Devil May Cry prequel/reboot last year. Not having particularly followed the series myself, I found the outcry a little baffling. Sure, it was being outsourced rather than being developed internally by Capcom, but the studio responsible for it is Ninja Theory, who have yet to make a poor game; on the contrary, their work — particularly the recent sleeper Enslaved: Journey to the West — have been quite nicely received by critics. In the end, the complaints mainly seem to boil down to the fact that protagonist Dante suddenly has dark hair and a coif that look an awful lot like that of Ninja Theory’s boss, Tameem Antoniades.

OK, so maybe it’s a little self-gratifying. But still, I have to ask: What’s so terrible about DmC? Now that I’ve had the opportunity to play DmC for myself, I have a hard time imagining that any fan of Devil May Cry fan wouldn’t enjoy Ninja Theory’s take on the franchise. Yeah, Dante has become something of a self-insertion character, and he’s a cocky twerp; but his brashness is offset by a delirious combination of over-the-top silliness and over-the-top action game excess. One moment, Dante is answering the door of his trailer home in the nude; the next, a massive demon is attacking and the hero dresses himself in slow-motion by free-falling through the air into his clothes. (Conveniently placed hovering free-fall objects such as slices of pizza manage to preserve his modesty to the viewer through an increasingly improbable sequence of events.) There’s a real sense of tongue-in-cheek absurdity to it all; were these events to simply flash past in a moment, they’d seem frivolous. Instead, they drag on just a little too long and become just a little too ridiculous, and that clearly deliberate excess amounts to a knowing wink at the audience. It works.

 Resident Evil 6 and the Death of Camp

Similar Article: http://www.1up.com/previews?cId=3186973

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