General Gaming Article

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• Bad Avira Antivirus Update Brings Windows PCs To A Stand Still
• AMD Officially Launches Second-Gen "Trinity" APUs
• Diablo III Launches to Long Lines at Midnight
• Lenovo Reveals 2012 ThinkPad Lineup
• Desktop Replacement Laptops Have Never Been More Affordable
• NZXT's Switch 810 Special Edition Brings Two New Color Options to a Familiar Face
• Lenovo Reveals ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook, Claims World's Lightest 14-Incher

Bad Avira Antivirus Update Brings Windows PCs To A Stand Still Posted: 15 May 2012 11:09 AM PDT Bad definitions pop up every now and again in the antivirus world, as evidenced by that boondoggle a few months back when Microsoft's AV started banning Google's Chrome browser as a malicious app. A new set of bad definitions may be the worst whoops! we've ever seen, though; a ProActiv definition update pushed to premium Avira subscribers brought Windows PCs around the world to a halt after incorrectly labeling a bevy of critical processes as malware. Ruh-roh Raggie!  ZDNet reports that the Avira forums were alight this morning with tales of all kinds of false positives. (We'd link to specific threads, but there are a TON.) The premium Avira antivirus programs were blocking users from accessing, amongst others: \windows\system32\dllhost.exe \windows\system32\explorer.exe \windows\system32\iexplorer.exe \windows\system32\notepad.exe \windows\system32\regedit.exe \windows\system32\rundll32.exe \windows\system32\taskeng.exe \windows\system32\wuauclt.exe \Google\Google Talk\googletalk.exe \OpenOffice.org 3\program\swriter.exe \OpenDNS Updater\OpenDNSUpdater.exe \Palm\Palm.exe \iPod\bin\iPodService.exe \Documents To Go\DocsToGo.exe And those are just the ones we stumbled across in the forums and the ZDNet article! The issue was limited to premium subscribers only, as Avira free doesn't receive ProActiv updates. Avira forum moderators rushed to offer workarounds to the problem, and fortunately, the problem has already been fixed via an emergency update. The bad patch was active for less than 12 hours in total. Follow Brad on Google+ or Twitter

AMD Officially Launches Second-Gen "Trinity" APUs Posted: 15 May 2012 10:44 AM PDT Enhanced energy efficiency, a decent CPU gain and big improvement on the graphics front: no, we're not talking about Ivy Bridge, we're talking about AMD's second-generation A-Series Fusion APU, Trinity. And why are we talking about Trinity APUs, you ask? Because they officially launched today, that's why. Well, kinda -- only laptop and "ultrathin notebook" Trinity APUs are hitting the streets any time soon. Trinity APUs are still based on a 32nm manufacturing process, shoving roughly 10 percent more transistors on a die that's slightly larger than Llano's. The CPU uses AMD's new "power-optimized" Piledriver core -- the follow-up to Bulldozer -- and beats Llano's CPU performance by up to 29 percent, by AMD's numbers, while the integrated Radeon 7000 series GPUs offer "an increase in graphics performance of up to 56% over the previous generation."  Trinity also brings native Eyefinity support. The AMD-supplied chart above shows how the top-of-the-line quad-core A10-4600M Trinity APU stacks up against Intel's i5-2520M performance-wise. It's pretty good, as you can see, but it would be more impressive if the new Trinity proc was compared against an Ivy Bridge chip rather than a Sandy Bridge variant. Power efficiency is a big deal for this round of updates, with AMD claiming that Trinity sports "Double the performance per watt of the previous generation" and up to 12 hours of battery life in notebook variants. The ultrathin APUs clock in at 17W for a dual-core chip and 25W for a quad-core chip, while the mainstream notebook chips hit 35W. The chart above shows how long the top-end A10-4600M lasts while performing various tasks, compared against an Intel i5-2410M. Not too shabby, as you can see, although once again, we would've preferred to see a comparison against an Ivy Bridge chip. Unfortunately, desktop and component channel Trinity chips won't be available until the somewhat nebulous "later in the year." For now, AMD's teased us with the slide above, which compares the 100W A10-5800K against Intel's i7-3770K. (Finally, an Ivy Bridge comparison!) As you can see, AMD claims Trinity's Radeon-powered graphics pretty handily trounces Intel's HD 4000 graphics; the advantage looks to be anywhere from 20 to 50 percent. Of course, we won't know if that's accurate without testing out Trinity's desktop variants for ourselves, but it whets our taste for more. For more info, check out AMD's press release and press deck slideshow. So whaddaya think: was Trinity worth the wait? It looks like a solid improvement over Llano, but is it an attractive counterpart to Intel's Ivy Bridge chips? Follow Brad on Google+ or Twitter

Diablo III Launches to Long Lines at Midnight Posted: 15 May 2012 05:48 AM PDT The much anticipated third installment of the popular hack-and-slash Diablo series launched earlier today at one minute past the stroke of midnight, which means some of you reading this (or not reading this, at it were) have been giving your mouse a workout for around eight hours straight. Those who didn't download a pre-ordered digital copy ahead of time faced potentially long lines at retail stores, such as the one seen here at a Fry's Home Electronics store in Las Vegas. "Twenty years have passed since the Prime Evils were defeated and banished from the world of Sanctuary," Blizzard explains on its Battle.net site. "Now you must return to Tristram and investigate rumors of a fallen star, an omen that the End Times have begun." Diablo III, a PC exclusive, carries a console price tag at $60, and you can tack on another $22 or $37 if you plan to purchase the Diablo III Signature Series Strategy Guide or thet Limited Edition hardcover version. There's also a Collector's Edition of Diablo III that sells for $100 and comes with a handful of extras, like a Diablo skull base and 4GB USB soulstone with full versions of Diablo II and Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, as well as an art book, soundtrack, and behind-the-scenes DVD/Blu-ray set. It's been more than a decade since Diablo was released, and about 15 and a half years since the original Diablo game came out. That prompted CNet to pose the question of whether or not Diablo is still relevant, which you can read here. Alternately, you can wait for the inevitable landslide of reviews to roll through the Web. That is, if you're not already playing Diablo III and answering that question yourself, which leads us to our own question: Did you pick up (or plan to purchase) Diablo III? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below! Image Credit: Simon Chan

Lenovo Reveals 2012 ThinkPad Lineup Posted: 15 May 2012 05:16 AM PDT We have already told you about Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop, which the company claims is the world's lightest 14-inch ultrabook, but the X1 is just one of many new Ivy Bridge-powered ThinkPad models. Hit the jump for a quick rundown of these new business-friendly mobile PCs from Lenovo. The new ThinkPads include everything from run-of-the-mill laptops to convertibles and span the T, X, L and W lines: ThinkPad L Family: The updated L series comprises the L430 and the 15-inch L530, both of which will be available next month starting at $879. Both these no-frills ThinkPads sport identical 1366 x 768 displays, USB 3.0, mini-DisplayPort and discrete graphics. Lenovo is claiming a maximum battery life of 9.5 hours. ThinkPad T Family: Last year's T420, T420s and T520 make way for the T430, T430s and T530, respectively. The new T series, which comes with the promise of up to 30 hours of battery life, starts at $879 with the 14-inch T430, a laptop that's said to be appreciably lighter than its predecessor. Next up is the T430s with a starting price of $1,399. The T430s boasts a mini-Display Port, 1600 x 900 display option, Thunderbolt (Core i7 variants only) and Lenovo's RapidCharge technology. These two models are expected to go on sale next month. However, not a lot is known about the T530 at this stage. ThinkPad W530: The W530 mobile workstation is not only the most powerful of the lot, it's also the heaviest at a shade under 6 pounds. The W530 starts at $1,529 and packs a quad-core Intel Ivy Bridge processor, up to 32GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive, Nvidia Quadro graphics and a backlit keyboard. ThinkPad X Family: The outgoing X220 and X220T have been replaced by the X230 and X230T (convertible), respectively. The two tip the scales at less than 3 pounds and feature 12.5-inch IPS displays, built-in 4G connectivity, mini-DisplayPort, SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports, face tracking and Dolby Advanced Audio. Scheduled to begin shipping in June, the X230 and X230T will start at $1,179 and $1,479, respectively.

Desktop Replacement Laptops Have Never Been More Affordable Posted: 15 May 2012 05:04 AM PDT Without question, Ultrabooks are the sexiest, trendiest laptops on the market right now, and with good reason. They're thin and light like a MacBook Air and every bit as good looking (and in some cases, they're thinner, lighter, and better looking than their iOS competitors), fast, and highly portable with long-lasting battery life. All of these things are attractive in a notebook, but if you could afford a desktop replacement laptop, would you still shop an Ultrabook? That's a question consumers will have to answer. According to DealNews.com, paying a premium for a decked out 17-inch laptop is something notebook shoppers used to do, but not anymore. Prices have dropped so much, in fact, that DealNews claims the new average price point for scoring a deal on a "souped up" 17-inch laptop is $550. "And we're not talking budget laptops here," DealNews explains. "Desktop replacement laptops are high-end systems with a quad-core Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a minimum 750GB hard drive. So while Apple may be toying with the idea of terminating its desktop replacement, we're here to tell you that desktop replacements are where you'll find the best laptop deals today." According to DealNews, prices for desktop replacement-class systems typically climb after all the Black Friday sales come and go, but "after last November, deals on these premium laptops have not rebounded; instead they remained at Black Friday lows." It's a buyer's market, and if you're paying more than $800, you're paying too much, DealNews says. We don't necessarily agree with that last statement, at least when talking about the more hardcore desktop replacement laptops with more powerful graphics options than what you'll find on a typical 17-inch notebook. But the point is well taken that if you're spending a fortune on a 17-inch system, you probably could have done better by shopping around, especially if you don't need an ultra high-end GPU. Image Credit: Hewlett-Packard

NZXT's Switch 810 Special Edition Brings Two New Color Options to a Familiar Face Posted: 15 May 2012 05:03 AM PDT According to NZXT, fans of the company's Switch 810 chassis have practically been begging and pleading for more color options, and specifically, they want to see the enclosure dressed in Matte Black and Gunmetal. Well, you apparently asked, and NZXT has responded by releasing a 'Special Edition' version of the Switch 810 in what NZXT claims are "two of the most demanded color palettes." Other than the fact that the Switch 810 is now available in Matte Black and Gunmetal, the Special Edition chassis is identical to the standard version, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. NZXT describes the Switch 810 as a hybrid full-tower case optimized for extreme liquid cooling, airflow, or silent computing -- just pick your poison and run with it. The Switch 810 boasts four watercooling cutouts, removable top 5.25-inch plates to accommodate wide radiators, hot swapping HDD support, right-mounted HDDs, ten large specialized cable management cutouts, USB 3.0 support, and loads of other features. You can purchase a Switch 810 Special Edition now for $180 MSRP. Image Credit: NZXT

Lenovo Reveals ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook, Claims World's Lightest 14-Incher Posted: 14 May 2012 09:05 PM PDT The new ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop from Lenovo is supposedly the lightest 14-inch Ultrabook the world has ever seen, but don't take that to mean it's flimsy. On the contrary, Lenovo insists its ThinkPad X1 is quite the durable beast and exceeds Ultrabooks specifications by using a premium carbon fiber rollcage to create a rough and tumble system, yet weighs less than 3 pounds. "We crafted the ThinkPad X1 Carbon with premium carbon fiber material in order to make it incredibly thin and light, yet durable," said Lu Yan, senior vice president, Think Product Group, Lenovo. "Our new ThinkPad laptop portfolio embodies much of the innovative thinking exemplified in the X1 Carbon, such as a backlit keyboard, super-bright high definition display, Dolby Home Theater, and rich communications features that balance business performance with personal use." Unfortunately, Lenovo opted not to share a whole bunch of information on the ThinkPad X1's specs, though did say it will ship with 3rd Generation Intel Core processor options (Ivy Bridge), 3G connectivity, 720p HD camera with Face Tracking, and a 1600x900 screen resolution. It will also feature a Rapid Charge option to boost the battery to 80 percent in just half an hour. The ThinkPad X1 will ship sometime this summer. Pricing information has not yet been announced. Image Credit: Lenovo

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MMO News

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• Growth of Freedom in MMORPG’s
• Sudden Attack launches new game mode
• Forge of Empires reaches 250,000 and launches new language versions
• C9 announces final closed beta
• Divina announces closed beta

Growth of Freedom in MMORPG’s Posted: 15 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT By, Vincent Heylen As of late, we are seeing a lot more forms of freedom in the way MMORPG's are played. This is both in the sense of the progression and combat, with other features also being tailored to offer more freedom as well. A lot of MMORPG's up to this point were rather linear until endgame and for that endgame you had to go through a ridiculous amount of grind first. More often then not, certain developers would try to find a way to kill this grind by making the quests a bit more random, or give it the appearance that they were random, rather than going for a strictly linear quest progression. In their core, all these quests still come down to the same basic idea of what the earlier games gave you. However, it's a lot more enjoyable to do random stuff instead of getting those typical quests where you have to kill 10 boars for no apparent reason. Sometimes, that element of grind is still lurking around (very noticeable at reaching mid level), but it’s a lot cleaner and more enjoyable with the current system if the games are doing it correctly. A great example of this is Guild Wars 2, as quests pop up once you reach that area instead of requiring you to go collect each one and then return their to redeem your rewards. You could say that World of Warcraft has some contribution to this as well, due to them revamping the quest system to make it feel less grindy with each expansion, while adding in more straightforward quests. A lot of developers are picking up on this idea now too. If we talk about combat, it's safe to say that we are getting rid of the 'dice-roll' system. Those critical strikes aren’t just a luck of the draw now, instead we are getting to a point in which there is no persistent damage output. This recent mechanic of MMORPG's has drawn a lot of attention from both developers and players looking for something different. Most people are probably familiar with this action-mechanic by now. You can manually aim your attacks via the use of mouse-button mashing, meaning that there is no lock system and you can completely disrupt any damage. That can be done by simply dodging or blocking. The blocking is only making its appearance if your class or game has it implemented, but the dodging can be done in each game as the mechanic allows it to happen. This eventually leads into this mechanic requiring a certain degree of skill. This is not to say that hotkey-combat and the lock-on doesn't require skill, but most of the time, it comes down to whoever is hitting their keys the fastest. For this, we can easily look at Vindictus, which got mass anticipation at the time of its incarnation. You could say this mechanic comes from games like Savage 2, but those didn't really go with the entirety that is MMORPG's, as it is more of a strategic arena-based game. It's still a recommendation for those hunting for straight on player versus player. An older game that tried this was Hellgate, however, it didn't get as much attention due to limitations in advertisement, which didn't really made it stand out. Nothing is complete without going over every indication to give the game the tag of that certain genre. One of the ways to draw you into an MMORPG, are the classes. We've seen hundreds of Archetypes over the course of this decade. You could call them classes as well, but that would only be a correct statement if a game threats them in that way. Archetypes is a bit more explicit for the description of these characters. They come in all sorts of forms, from both ranged to melee damage, while others heal or disrupt enemies. They come in those hundred names while still holding the same premise of what they are ordered to do. You have the ranger that can easily tame creatures as a hunter. You have the warrior who can take on the form of a berserker. There is the rogue who is lurking in the shadows as the thief. You have the shaman who has the same college-degree as the cleric. Finally, there is the mage that can cast destructive spells that take down the soul-capturing nature of the Necromancer. If you aren't fed up by all these archetypes yet, then I have news for you. We are stepping away from them. Hooray! The actual pre-set of those archetypes is still there, but Grinding Gear Games, the minds behind the upcoming Diablo style action MMO Path of Exile said; 'screw this, let's see what we can do differently'. In Path Of Exile you still have the base sets, while in the meantime, you can go on a completely separate path then what the main archetype actually demands from you. You can easily go with magic damage as a marauder or do melee damage as a ranger. This is only a small example of where the class-combinations or freedom in terms of  progression is going. As of this moment, there are dozen games out there going in this direction. No longer are you locked into a certain play-style and role. Go all out on the weapons you are allowed to carry as their isn't that boundary anymore. Go crazy and show what you created within this path. No more thinking about what skill you are going for next and then feeling sad for choosing that one because you “had to”. Just roll with it because nothing is wrong. You can still theorycraft if you really want too, but as it stands with the model now, you aren't truly bound to anything. This growth of freedom isn't limited to these things only. We are seeing new mechanics like this for MMORPG's each day, all leading up towards this freedom. It is still limited by the amount that the developers are contributing to the idea, but we are still going in the right direction. You can't make an MMORPG feel too much like a sandbox, else it would lose its touch. That is what the audience isn't seeing of course. Yes, you can safely go all out with it, but still try to remain true to what MMORPG's are actually about. Don't go all Minecraft fashion with these sandbox-styled elements, because if you can get distracted easily (like me), it will only be fun for about a week. Controlled chaos is the name of the game. Is this progression or growth of freedom your thing? What are your takes on certain elements of this freedom? Do you think we will see more of this as time goes by or do you think the audience will even allow this to happen? Of course! There will always be an audience for these kind of games, but going too much in the direction of sandbox, leads into a game that’s not exactly fit being the basis for an MMORPG as we know them.

Sudden Attack launches new game mode Posted: 15 May 2012 01:01 PM PDT Players of Sudden Attack will be treated to a “crazy” new game mode with the latest update. Introducing “Knife Touchdown,” a variation of the original Touchdown Mode. Described as “football meets melee attack jacked up on stimulants,” up to sixteen players can scramble for the ball, carry or pass it to the opposite goal, and score points, all while taking knives from their opponents. Each round will only last two and a half minutes, carriers have a movement speed penalty, and respawn is reduced to five seconds with no invincibility, making this one heck of a football game. Sudden Attack is published by Nexon, which also publishes Combat Arms and Vindictus. Sudden Attack “Knives Only” Gameplay Screenshot Source: New "Sudden Attack" game mode combines football, knives Mayhem ensues with the Knife Touchdown game mode   The Season of Slaughter continues with May-hem in "Sudden Attack." With the recent introduction of Knife Touchdown mode, fans of Nexon America's anything-goes first-person shooter will get to experience the most frenetic game mode yet.   A modified, faster and crazier version of the Touchdown mode, Knife Touchdown is football meets melee attack jacked up on stimulants. At the beginning of each match between one and eight players on each team will make a mad scramble for the "ball" in the center of the arena. Teams must then carry or pass the ball to get it across the opposing goal. Everyone will be equipped with melee weapons only, making for a fast, furious and bloody ball game.   To make the games go blazingly fast, rounds will last only two and a half minutes, and the regular respawn time is cut in half to just five seconds with no invincibility period. To ensure the ball carriers remain vulnerable, they will also be hit with a movement speed penalty.   For more information about the "Sudden Attack" Knife Touchdown content update and to jump in to experience the Mayhem yourself, visit: http://suddenattack.nexon.net.

Forge of Empires reaches 250,000 and launches new language versions Posted: 15 May 2012 11:51 AM PDT InnoGames has announced a new milestone and game versions for its browser-based strategy, Forge of Empires. Forge of Empires has launched Greek, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese language versions over the past two days, each of which starts with its own server and world to foster a language-focused community. Forge of Empires has also reached 250,000 registered players for its open beta, a first major milestone. InnoGames also publishes Tribal Wars and Grepolis. Forge of Empires Gameplay Screenshot Source: 250,000 Players join Forge of Empires Beta Browser title continues success, adds additional languages Hamburg, May 15, 2012. Forge of Empires, the strategic browser game by company InnoGames has attracted 250,000 registered players to its open beta thus far. The game, already available in five languages, including English, French and German, adds four new markets: Greek and Italian language versions opened yesterday, followed by Spanish and Portuguese today. Each version starts with its own worlds to foster a community in their respective markets. Several more languages are planned for the coming weeks. In Forge of Empires, players tasked with leading their own city to prosperity can research new technologies, build impressive historical buildings and enlarge their sphere of influence through military campaigns and skillful dealing. Other players’ cities can be visited and, while admiring structures and placement of buildings, be supported by polishing decorations or motivating workers for increased happiness or resource outcome. Additionally, one must foster a healthy culture for citizens and establish trade and production of various resources. Forge of Empires also contains a long-term single player campaign, as well as an ever-growing number of PvP-features, which offer months of entertainment. A turn-based battle system on a hex-field and other tactical facets to the game will keep strategists’ attention and allow for challenging duels with friends and adversaries. Competitive players can fight for top ranks and medals in weekly tournaments. InnoGames provides additional information in the game’s blog. With more than 80 million registered players, InnoGames is one of the world’s leading developers and providers of online games. The Hamburg-based company has scored major successes with games such as Tribal Wars, The West and Grepolis.

C9 announces final closed beta Posted: 15 May 2012 11:03 AM PDT C9 (Continent of the Ninth)’s final closed beta test has been announced by Webzen. The test will take place between May 17 and May 31, and will also play host to the 2012 Championship Tournament, where the two finalists will head off to Los Angeles to compete at E3. 30 other users will also be invited to participate in the final match, and can have their shot by visiting the official C9 Facebook page. The last closed beta test will feature the Berserker, a new advanced class of the fighter. Webzen also publishes Archlord and Mu Online. Global C9 Berserker Trailer Source:   2012 'C9' Championship Tournament Begins with the Final CBT   WEBZEN Inc. (WWW.WEBZEN.COM), the Next Generation of Free-to-Play Online Games, announced the final closed beta test for the Action RPG 'C9 (Continent of the Ninth Seal)' where the online tournament of the '2012 C9 Championship Tournament' will begin.   From May 17th to the 31st, WEBZEN will open the final closed beta test for 'C9' where the online tournament for the '2012 Championship Tournament' will take place. The top 2 qualifying teams will be determined to head off to the finals in Los Angeles, U.S.A.   The online tournament will finish up to the semi-finals, and on June 6th the final top 2 teams will compete at Los Angeles, U.S.A. for the $10,000 (USD) grand prize. WEBZEN will provide the final's live footage through live stream on the official C9 website (c9.webzen.com).   The registration for the tournament had finished last May 10th through the official homepage and 32 teams have been selected for the seeding. Among the participants, there are experienced e-sports and online game clans that will add more competition to the tournament.   Also, WEBZEN is inviting 30 users to participate in the final match held in Los Angeles. The registration for this invitation can be entered through the official C9 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/C9Webzen).   Meanwhile, during the final closed beta test, a new character 'Berserker' will be revealed. As an advanced class of the fighter, the 'Berserker' has the most powerful physical attack power using its two handed sword. Users who participated in the Tournament Registration Test last April will be able to continuously play where they left off without creating a new character or enjoy the newly revealed 'Berserker'.   Jihun Lee, Head of Global Publishing, said, "During the finals of the championship tournament, C9's Producer and developers will join us to add to the excitement." Also he said, "Users or clans who have not qualified for the tournament, please keep interested throughout the final CBT to find out who the final qualifiers for the 2012 C9 Championship Tournament will be."   More information about the Action RPG 'C9' can be found at the official Facebook community (www.facebook.com/C9Webzen) and website (c9.webzen.com).

Divina announces closed beta Posted: 15 May 2012 10:40 AM PDT Gamania (beanfun) has revealed the closed beta launch dates for Divina. The May Madness Beta will take place from Wednesday, May 16 (10am Pacific) until May 20 (midnight Pacific), lasting five days. The beta test will feature open world PvP for the first time, offering a host of events for players to test their PvP prowess. You can grab your own closed beta key here at MMOHut! Beta events will include a Last Man Standing championship on the last day of beta, Last Guild Standing (5v5 PvP battles) tournament, and a guild versus guild dungeon scramble, where guilds must race to be the first to complete the same instance. Players who filled out a survey after participating in the Challenge 72 Beta will gain an Elite Costume for their highest level character to use during the Beta, and players who reach level 15 in the beta will get an exclusive Haruhime mini-pet for Open Beta. Gamania also publishes Bright Shadow and Lucent Heart. Divina Gameplay Screenshot Source: GAMANIA ANNOUNCES DIVINA'S CLOSED BETA LAUNCH Beta Key Giveaways and Invites Begin IRVINE, Calif. – May 15, 2012 – Gamania Digital Entertainment today revealed the official Closed Beta launch date for its free-to-play, 3D MMORPG, Divina. Starting Wednesday, May 16, at 10:00AM PDT, players will be able to participate in Divina's  May Madness Beta testing, which will feature open world Player versus Player (PvP) combat for the first time, as well as new competitive events. The May Madness Beta will end on Sunday, May 20, at 11:59PM PDT, giving testers five full days to explore Divina and help get it ready for its commercial launch this year. "After the success of our recent sneak peek event for Divina, we're very excited to get our beta testing underway," said David Wong, COO of Gamania. "The staff and GMs will have more time to get to know players during this test, and we're anxious to see what everyone thinks about the open world PvP system that will be unlocked. If all goes well, we should be seeing Divina launch sooner than expected this year." To further stress Divina's server infrastructure, Gamania will be issuing a large number of Closed Beta invites. Players can grab a beta key at: http://mmohuts.com/giveaways/divina-closed-beta-key-giveaway The May Madness Beta will feature exciting competitive events, pitting players against each other in a mad race to become Divina's Champion: -      Last Man Standing – Players fight each other in qualifying rounds leading up to the PvP Championships on the last day of beta. -      Last Guild Standing – Guilds can compete in 5 vs. 5 PvP battles up to the Last Guild Standing Championship, deciding the strongest guild in Divina. -      Guild vs Guild Dungeon Scramble – Divina's dungeons are known for their difficulty. Guilds can race each other to be the first to complete the same instance! In addition, Gamania will be rewarding loyal players returning to Divina. Those that filled out a survey at the end of the Challenge 72 Beta will receive an exclusive Elite Costume for their highest level character to use during the May Madness Beta. And, all players that get past level 15 in the May Madness Beta will receive an exclusive Haruhime mini-pet when they return for Open Beta! Players can view the full Closed Beta event schedule and learn more about the game by visiting the official website (http://us.beanfun.com/divina/), or join Divina's community at the official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/divinaenglish).

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MMO Updates

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• The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak
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• Captain's Log: A new perspective on STO's endgame
• Rumor: 38 Studios may be having financial trouble
• Learn the basics of Diablo III gameplay
• Not So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012
• New MOBA SmashMuck Champions fights its way into closed beta this month
• Next beta weekend for The Secret World announced
• Storybricks demo and interview with Brian 'Psychochild' Green and Kelly Heckman
• Allods Online prepares players for patch 3.0.2 with a new mini-site
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• Leaderboard: EverQuest II's housing vs. Aion's housing

The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak Posted: 15 May 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, Opinion, The Soapbox, Sandbox, The Elder Scrolls Online Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Language is a pretty fascinating thing, and studying a second one is something I've long intended to do. Aside from entertaining thoughts of learning Korean to play ArcheAge, though (seriously, I looked into it), I haven't gotten around to much beyond college-level Deutsch. But as I watched last week's interview with The Elder Scrolls Online creative director Paul Sage, I realized that I already have some pretty good second-language skills. I'm fluent in both English and MMO dev-speak, so as a public service, I'm going to translate some of what Sage said into the former. Continue reading The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

World of Warplanes video diary details classes, roles Posted: 15 May 2012 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Historical, Video, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, War, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries, World of Warplanes Looking for the latest World of Warplanes news? Wargaming.net has you covered with part two of its developer diary video series. The clip introduces us to some of the dev personalities working on the game, as well as the three main aircraft classes (fighters, heavy fighters, and ground attack planes). "Fighters top the food chain," according to historical consultant Yuri Pasholok. "They are the most widespread, versatile, and -- pound for pound -- the deadliest class in the game." In comparison, ground attack birds are "slow, clumsy, and very heavy. To imagine what flying a ground attack plane is like, think of flying a tank," Pasholok says. Why would you want to fly a tank? Well, for the ridiculous amounts of destructive firepower, of course. Finally, heavy fighters are something of a middle ground between the previous two classes. They can take a beating better than their light fighter counterparts, but their main objective is defense and interception. Click past the cut to view the full video, and be sure to check out The Firing Line this Friday for an exclusive World of Warplanes producer interview. Continue reading World of Warplanes video diary details classes, roles World of Warplanes video diary details classes, roles originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

Xsyon welcomes back former players, gears up for totem decay Posted: 15 May 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Xsyon, Promotions, Post-Apocalyptic, Sandbox Notorious Games is working overtime to highlight all of the changes it's made to its Xsyon sandbox. The company ran a 10-day welcome back promotion late last month, and it's doing so again starting this Friday. Previous subscribers will receive a free 10-day pass, while current players will get two additional weeks of game time on the house. The dates for the 10-day passes vary, according to Notorious' latest press release. If you're a previous subscriber, check your email over the next few days to see where your game time falls within the larger five-week promotional window. Also noteworthy for dedicated Xsyon players is the fact that the game's totem system will enter something called a decay phase once these trial periods are over. Totems represent land claimed by a particular guild, and those without any actively subscribed players will become abandoned in short order. Abandoned totems will then decay and free up the land for other players, while also leaving any buildings, resources, and containers free for the taking. [Source: Notorious Games press release] Xsyon welcomes back former players, gears up for totem decay originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Five top tips for your first few days of Diablo III Posted: 15 May 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, Launches, PvE, Opinion, Guides, Dungeons, Diablo III Diablo III officially launched at midnight last night, opening the floodgates on what is possibly the most pre-ordered PC game in history. It's been almost 12 years since the previous game in the series launched, and it's still going to this day. Whether you've played previous games, have taken part in the Diablo III beta or are taking your first steps into Sanctuary today, everyone starts with a clean slate. In this article, I give my top five tips for spending your first few days wisely in Diablo III. #5 - Spend most of your time on one character It seems like a bit of a no-brainer to initially focus on one character, but in Diablo III's case, there's a special reason to do it. You'll likely finish normal mode around level 20-30, and until then, you'll get a new skill almost every level. It's only when you've completed normal mode and moved on to nightmare that the challenge really starts and you will have picked out an effective set of skills. Your last active skill unlocks at level 30, and from then on you'll gain a combination of two to three runes or passive skills every level until you hit the level cap at 60. Read on for four more tips you should keep in mind as you start playing Diablo III. Continue reading Five top tips for your first few days of Diablo III Five top tips for your first few days of Diablo III originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Blizzard awarding Australian GAME customers free copy of Diablo III Posted: 15 May 2012 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Diablo III It's been a rollercoaster week for Australian Diablo III fans who pre-ordered their copies of Blizzard's long-awaited dungeon crawler at GAME. The troubled retailer went into administration yesterday, leaving customers in the lurch without their game or their refunds. Blizzard has since stepped in and offered to make good with a free digital copy as long as fans have a valid pre-order receipt. Kotaku has all the details on how to submit your receipt and receive your credit. The site also notes that Blizzard didn't get a dime of the original GAME pre-order payments, and is essentially taking one for the team by offering affected customers a free copy of Diablo III. Blizzard awarding Australian GAME customers free copy of Diablo III originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Kotaku

Star Trek Online dev not concerned with losing global playability for the sake of lock boxes Posted: 15 May 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, Star Trek Online Lock boxes in Star Trek Online -- love them or leave them, right? Well now it may be more of an issue of Cryptic leaving you if your country has an issue with them. When a discussion on the Jupiter Force forums noted that certain countries may have legal issues with lock boxes in the game, STO developer @borticus chimed in that the "most likely course of action here, if any is taken, is that STO becomes unplayable" in that country. When the conversation turned towards the loss of revenue from losing said countries, @borticus replied that probably less revenue would be lost from losing a country than abandoning lock boxes. Could lock boxes be making enough of a profit that losing an entire country's player base is a worthy trade off? It sounds like it. Anyone hoping that lock boxes were a temporary fad may want to stop holding their breath. [Thanks to "Some Guy" for the tip!] Star Trek Online dev not concerned with losing global playability for the sake of lock boxes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: STO feedback thread, STO feedback thread

Blade & Soul on track to launch in Korea this July Posted: 15 May 2012 06:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, MMO industry, Free-to-play, Blade & Soul If all goes well, NCsoft's Blade & Soul will be making its public debut in July. That's the good news; the bad news is that the launch will be confined to Korea for the time being. The company recently announced in an earnings call that the title is on track to go into open beta testing by June and then launch this July. There's some hope at NCsoft that the release of Diablo III will grow the potential gamer audience in the country, an audience that could be attracted to Blade & Soul come this summer. Currently the game is in closed beta, with the next round of testing commencing on May 22nd. ThisIsGame reports that Blade & Soul has stirred up controversy with testers due to a vitality system that limits how fast a player can advance his or her character. Blade & Soul on track to launch in Korea this July originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: ThisIsGame

The Daily Grind: Would you miss PvP if it disappeared from your favorite MMO? Posted: 15 May 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind Last weekend's dev post about the sorry state of PvP in Star Trek Online was a fascinating microcosm of everything that's controversial about one of the MMO industry most divisive topics. Cryptic's mea culpa regarding horribly flawed mechanics was news in and of itself, never mind the fact that Dan "Gozer" Griffis also went a step further and said that PvP could be excised from the game entirely because its usage and overall impact are insignificant. PvPers bristled at that notion, and many responded with variations on "well of course we don't play it because the implementation sucks." This led us to wonder about the importance of PvP in MMORPGs as well as the percentage of players who care about its inclusion. For today's completely unscientific and anecdotal morning poll, we'd like to know your thoughts on the matter. Are you apathetic or opposed to PvP, or would you miss it if it disappeared from your favorite MMO? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind! The Daily Grind: Would you miss PvP if it disappeared from your favorite MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Diablo III launch day roundup Posted: 15 May 2012 05:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Culture, Game mechanics, Launches, New titles, News items, Diablo III It's been a decade in the making, but today Diablo III finally arrived. The past few months have been filled with Diablo III news and more data than you can imagine, from speculation on the release date to details of gameplay and the different difficulty modes available. We've seen five epic class reveals on the Darkness Falls, Heroes Rise launch site and a series of unlocks that ended with the awesome animated Wrath of Angels short. In this launch article, we pull together some of the top Diablo III news from the past few months. If you're playing the game today (or not!), be sure to check out our top five tips for making the most of your first few days in Diablo III. Continue reading Diablo III launch day roundup Diablo III launch day roundup originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fable developer seeking online game designer for 'ambitious new project' Posted: 14 May 2012 09:30 PM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous Hey guys, since long-standing single-player titles' becoming MMOs is all the rage these days, did you know that the folks at Fable developer Lionhead Studios are looking to hire someone with a deep understanding of online multiplayer games to help them "define the multiplayer levels and experience of [their] ambitious new project"? Because according to the official job listing at Microsoft, they totally are. Of course, the first thing that came to our minds was could this mean a Fable MMO? Well, it could, but we're not sure yet. All we know right now is that Lionhead is looking for help to design a particularly ambitious (cough) online game, and if you take into consideration that late last year the studio was looking for an MMO-oriented programmer... well, fans of the Fable series or the studio itself should definitely keep their eyes on this one. Fable developer seeking online game designer for 'ambitious new project' originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Microsoft Careers Via: Shack News

RIFT introduces three-faction PvP with Conquest Posted: 14 May 2012 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, News items, RIFT RIFT players have been speculating about what the much-hyped but little-revealed PvP announcement for the title would be, but now it's official: RIFT is bringing out three-faction warfare. In a post on the RIFT official site, Trion Worlds has introduced the Conquest PvP mode, which is a "no-holds-barred, interdimensional battle" in which players can choose from one of three factions (the power-hungry Dominion, the noble Oathsworn, and the knowledge-seeking Nightfall) and take part in a three-way battle to answer one poignant question: "What is the role of the Ascended in the cosmos? To rule, to protect, or to ascend?" Players eager to become a part of the Conquest won't have to wait long. This Thursday, May 17th, at 7:00 EDT, Trion will be bringing Conquest to the public test server. All you have to do to get on the action yourself is head on over to the game's PTS "getting started" page and follow the instructions, and voila. So get out there and prepare for war, Ascended; it's time to conquer! [Thanks to Valorith for the tip!] RIFT introduces three-faction PvP with Conquest originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: RIFT official site -- Introducing Conquest

Captain's Log: A new perspective on STO's endgame Posted: 14 May 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Endgame, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Captain's Log For a veteran Star Trek Online player, it can be very easy to get mired in the game's seemingly soulless endgame. From restricted (time-gated) play to lackluster PvP to grinding strategic task force missions and dailies, sometimes it's difficult to find reason to log in at all, let alone on someone else's schedule. There are always a few options, however. Of course, these ideas aren't going to be everyone's cup of raktajino, but they're a start, and I want to take some time to discuss two possibilities that may help to provide a distraction while we all wait for fleet starbases, Tholians, and Ferasan (the new cat-like species to be released for the Klingon faction). Continue reading Captain's Log: A new perspective on STO's endgame Captain's Log: A new perspective on STO's endgame originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rumor: 38 Studios may be having financial trouble Posted: 14 May 2012 06:20 PM PDT Filed under: Lore, News items, Rumors, Miscellaneous 38 Studios is one of many developers whose first big game (Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning) was rumored to lead into an MMO further on down the line. It looks like there may be storm clouds on the horizon before that project even gets moving, however, as the company may be facing financial issues. Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee has apparently been meeting with owner Curt Schilling to work on "different issues," with Chafee noting that his administration has always tried to ensure that Rhode Island companies remain financially solvent. If you consider that Rhode Island invested about $75 million in the company, it's obvious that the government has an interest in making the company remain viable over the long term. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was a moderate hit, but that might not be enough for the company as it develops. We'll have more on this story as it develops, hopefully with better news. Rumor: 38 Studios may be having financial trouble originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Providence Journal Via: Joystiq

Learn the basics of Diablo III gameplay Posted: 14 May 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Launches, Guides, Diablo III Massively's sister site WoW Insider brings us this special bonus article tonight on the basics of Diablo III for folks who normally play MMOs like World of Warcraft. Enjoy the rest of Joystiq's WoW team's Diablo coverage over on WoW Insider, and stay tuned for our own Diablo III launch roundups tomorrow morning! Since Diablo II was released 12 years ago, it's safe to say that Diablo III will be the first Diablo title many people will have ever played. It's one of the most anticipated titles of the season and is attracting countless new players to the genre. We've received a number of questions asking how this game is even played -- and if it has anything in common with your favorite MMOs. We have you covered. The core of Diablo gameplay is the mouse click. You do everything from combat to looting to movement with your mouse, and your interactions with your keyboard are extremely minimal overall. On Twitter recently, many Diablo diehards have mentioned they were buying a new mouse specifically to use with Diablo III -- and that's not a bad idea. No, we're not talking a brand-new $80 Razer Naga; we're talking some $10 to $15 thing you can pick up off of a department store shelf. You want a mouse that you're not going to mourn when your buttons inevitably give out from the mountain of abuse you're about to unleash upon them. Grab something cheap and disposable so that when it dies, you will consider it a victory -- just another technological corpse for the bone pile. Continue reading Learn the basics of Diablo III gameplay Learn the basics of Diablo III gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Not So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012 Posted: 14 May 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III Diablo III became potentially the most pre-ordered PC game in history this week, breaking both Blizzard's personal pre-order records and online retailer Amazon's. The game is set to launch at midnight tonight, unlocking physical copies and digital installers. Diablo-inspired free-to-play dungeon crawler Path of Exile approaches its own launch this week with the release of its penultimate version 0.9.9 patch. League of Legends announced its upcoming MSI Beat IT tournament at DreamHack Summer 2012, with a prize fund of $40,000 US and a series of public online qualifiers. Bloodline Champions revealed its own $10,000 DreamHack tournament, with open in-game qualifiers scheduled for next weekend. Valve announced details of the second Dota 2 world championship, a series that started with last year's $1.6 million US tournament. Blizzard settled its lawsuit with Valve this week, renaming Blizzard DOTA to Blizzard All-Stars but securing the continued non-commercial use of the DotA name for the fan community. Heroes of Newerth released its incredibly successful new Midwars game mode, and Rise of Immortals put forth its official immortal spotlight for new immortal Nauria. Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012 Not So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

New MOBA SmashMuck Champions fights its way into closed beta this month Posted: 14 May 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Galleries, Screenshots, Trailers, Video, New titles, News items, MOBA Watch out, MOBA fans: A new challenger has appeared! Indie game developer Kiz Studios announced in a press release today that its upcoming MOBA title, SmashMuck Champions, is set to enter closed beta this month. Of course, if you're anything like us, you're probably wondering what the heck a SmashMuck Champions is. According to the game's official site, the title is "a free-to-play action/strategy game featuring online multiplayer combat" in which players "build and train their own SmashMuck teams... to do battle in the toughest sport on Planet Muck." Gameplay-wise, the game seems to be your standard MOBA with a few not-so-standard twists. The addition of persistent champion gear plus interesting new mechanics such as stat-boosting training routines aim to put a new spin on the old formula. But hey, you don't have to take our word for it. The game will be entering closed beta testing on May 27th, so if you're a MOBA fan looking for a new thrill, just head on over to the game's official site and sign up for yourself. Oh, and while you're at it, don't forget to check out the game's latest official trailer after the cut. [Source: Kiz Studios press release] Gallery: SmashMuck Champions Continue reading New MOBA SmashMuck Champions fights its way into closed beta this month New MOBA SmashMuck Champions fights its way into closed beta this month originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Next beta weekend for The Secret World announced Posted: 14 May 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Horror, Events, in-game, News items, The Secret World, Miscellaneous If you enjoyed the first peek into the secrets of Funcom's upcoming game, you'll be happy to know that The Secret World's second beta event has already been announced. The next weekend event starts on May 18th at noon EDT and runs until May 21st at 3:00 a.m. EDT. Several European sites will be giving away keys for this particular beta, but players who have pre-ordered the game beforehand will automatically have access to this event. The new event will feature a number of new areas, quests, and storylines. Players can learn more about the residents of Kingsmouth who have held out despite the town's current state as well as meet representatives of the Orochi Corporation observing the dark occurrences. Plus, all of the previous weekend's content will be available, so if you didn't get a chance to take part in the last test, you'll have plenty to explore within the horror-filled world. Next beta weekend for The Secret World announced originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Beta weekend announcement

Storybricks demo and interview with Brian 'Psychochild' Green and Kelly Heckman Posted: 14 May 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Interviews, Previews, Virtual worlds, Miscellaneous, Sandbox Namaste Entertainment's upcoming MMO-narrative-building toolset, Storybricks, is quickly picking up steam among the massively multiplayer gaming community. The quirky title recently released a public alpha client to coincide with the project's Kickstarter campaign, and I had the opportunity to sit down with Namaste's Brian "Psychochild" Green and Kelly Heckman for a tour of the client as well as a short interview on what the future holds for the toolbox-cum-MMOG project. Follow on past the cut and join me as I try to pinpoint Namaste's goals for the future of Storybricks. Continue reading Storybricks demo and interview with Brian 'Psychochild' Green and Kelly Heckman Storybricks demo and interview with Brian 'Psychochild' Green and Kelly Heckman originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Allods Online prepares players for patch 3.0.2 with a new mini-site Posted: 14 May 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Patches, PvP, Free-to-play, Allods Online, Dungeons, Crafting Allods Online's mascots are back for another humorous video, as Troll and Crab try their hands (claws) at making potions. It doesn't quite go as expected, but it's hard to blame Crab for what happens (he's just an earnest little guy). This is all to promote the game's newest update, patch 3.0.2, which promises to be a savory concoction for players to quaff. Over the weekend, gPotato opened up a new mini-site to promote the update and has since posted several new articles highlighting the changes. Some of patch 3.0.2's big selling points include a revamp of the Alchemy profession, the ability for pets to do the looting, a neat-sounding mentor system, a new skirmish called The Deserted Farm, a free-for-all treasure hunting space, a new raid boss, and better questing. Before you head over to see all of the patch changes, make sure to catch up on the latest episode of Troll and Crab after the break! [Thanks to Alex for the tip!] Continue reading Allods Online prepares players for patch 3.0.2 with a new mini-site Allods Online prepares players for patch 3.0.2 with a new mini-site originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: 3.0.2 mini-site, Alchemy and pet looting, Troll and Crab

Wings Over Atreia: This little Daeva went to market... Posted: 14 May 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Free-to-play, Wings Over Atreia Milk Bread Red Shell Potcrab Life Leaf Bulldozer... You all know the old adage "Never go grocery shopping while hungry," right? It is sound advice for avoiding filling your cart with impulse purchases that might decimate your budget (and your waistline). How many of you have also used the shopping list tactic to try to minimize said impulse purchases? Well, you just might want to put that skill into practice when visiting Aion's BlackCloud Marketplace. When the BlackCloud Marketplace launched last month, the inventory had pretty slim pickings for a game that needed to make all of its profit from the cash shop. Since all content in Aion is free, we knew more things would appear; it was just a matter of what and when. And even while there was still some trepidation about what items would be introduced over time (how many would play into the whole pay-to-win debate?), Daevas looked forward to new offerings and wondered what would be available next. Wonder no more! Those little Shugos came in last Wednesday and stocked the marketplace shelves with over 100 new items. Some items were expected, some were not, and some were even clamored for by the masses. To help you construct your shopping list before heading to the store, Wing Over Atreia has perused the aisles for you to find what's new, what's interesting, and what's on special. Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: This little Daeva went to market... Wings Over Atreia: This little Daeva went to market... originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

TERA Tome database unleashes the mysteries of Arborea Posted: 14 May 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, News items, TERA, Miscellaneous TERA players, have you been spending weeks trying to find that one perfect weapon? Or maybe you just want to know which mob drops the crafting mats you need to pimp out your gear. Either way, the ZAM Network is here to help. En Masse Entertainment has announced on the official TERA site that ZAM's TERA database, alliteratively named TERA Tome, is live and kickin'. The current version of the site includes all of the nifty features that players have come to expect from ZAM's MMO databases, such as information on quests, items, and abilities as well as helpful forums and comments. Players trying to get a handle on their character's build should also find the site handy thanks to its useful glyph calculator that allows players to survey all currently available glyphs without the need to set foot in the game. Just head on over to the recently launched site to crack open the tome. TERA Tome database unleashes the mysteries of Arborea originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: TERA official site -- TERA Tome is Live!

Leaderboard: EverQuest II's housing vs. Aion's housing Posted: 14 May 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Polls, Aion, EverQuest II, Game mechanics, Opinion, Humor, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard Everyone loves player housing, right? Oh, quiet you in the back. Look into my eye: Everyone loves player housing. It is the number one most requested, demanded, and mandatory feature of every MMO. In terms of priority, "having monsters to kill in the game" is lower than giving us sweet pads to decorate. This is the way the virtual world should be and always has been. Well, now that I've dipped into the well of delusion, it's time to emerge with my hair sopping wet and my mind open to the possibility of a player housing revival. With the advent of Aion's 3.0 update, players in this now-free-to-play game can move into a suburban dreamhouse and spend countless hours figuring out the exact decor to match the subtle majesty of the bathroom's toilet. But is it enough to challenge the de facto leader of player housing, EverQuest II? Mountains of novels have been written on this game's housing system, novels that were then used to construct a giant book fort in the middle of the grand ballroom. Because that's just how flexible that system can be. So pitted against each other in an interior design contest, which game would emerge triumphant? Cast your vote after the jump! Continue reading Leaderboard: EverQuest II's housing vs. Aion's housing Leaderboard: EverQuest II's housing vs. Aion's housing originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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