General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


OnLive Implodes, and is Re-Born On Life Support All In One Day

Posted: 19 Aug 2012 11:22 AM PDT

OnLive

As OnLive's 200 some odd employees gathered in the conference room for an all hands meeting on Friday, few expected the company to completely and utterly implode, but that's exactly what happened. We resisted the temptation to write this up immediately as the story was still developing, but as of noon hour on Sunday, Engadget is reporting that anywhere from 80 to 90 percent of the staff have been laid off. They also report that OnLive's assets appear to have been bought up by an as-yet-unknown third party company, though we expect this will be clarified over the next few days.

This leaves OnLive in a very interesting position where they are "technically" still open for business, but are in a very vulnerable financial position. It's unclear at this point what will happen to OnLive subscribers who have purchased games if the company fails to survive or is dissolved. Our gut tells us these unfortunate souls will be left will little more than a life lesson, and it should serve as a warning for those of us who believe the cloud is completely infallible.  

To be fair OnLive is still alive and well at the moment, however given how many employees seem to be leaving the building with moving boxes, I would think twice before I purchase anything else using the service. We have little doubt that the streaming technology will come in handy to whomever swooped in to bail out the company, however its possible OnLive as a service is simply ahead of its time. 

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Harvard Scientists Stuff Over 700TB of Data Into a Single Gram of DNA

Posted: 19 Aug 2012 10:53 AM PDT

DNAScience and technology have always been close bedfellows, however sometimes scientist's dream up new technologies that completely and utterly change everything. A pair of engineers at Harvard have been doing just that, and amazingly, have found a way to store around 704TB of data in a single gram of DNA. I re-read the findings of George Church and Sri Kosuri several times, but it took a while to finally grasp the concept that the entire contents of my NAS could be stored on the surface area of my pinky finger.  

Scientists have been looking at the possibility of using DNA as a storage platform for years now because of its density, and also because it's so stable. The issue however has always been with sequencing and reading the data, a problem that has at least partially been solved by recent developments in microfluidics and labs-on-a-chip

Church and Kosuri have posted a 6 minute video attempting to describe the technology in laymen's terms, but also speculate openly about the possibilities of a future where data storage is nearly infinite, and human progress can be documented and stored in HD for all eternity. We have to admit that the prospect of this is both terrifying, and amazing. It will probably still be many years (if ever) before we will get our hands on something like this, but it's great to see people are still dreaming of the world beyond mechanical and SSD storage. 

What would you do with limitless storage?

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Crytek CEO Promises To Melt Your PC Hardware With Crysis 3

Posted: 19 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT

Crysis 3The original Crysis was one of the most ambitious shooters to ever hit the PC, however its crushing system requirements limited the audience to a small subset of enthusiasts. To make matters worse, even they couldn't max it out. The hardware requirements improved substantially with the stand alone expansion Warhead, and requirements were even further clawed back in the full out sequel.  Some hardcore PC gamers never forgave the company for crippling the sequel so it was compatible with consoles, but hey, you can't please everyone. If you count yourself among those offended by Crysis 2 then you're in luck. Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli promises to melt your PC hardware with their next installment of the series. 

According to Yerli, "PCs are so far ahead, so making Crysis 3 look great on PC at the same time as running fantastic on consoles is going to be the challenge we didn't have in Crysis 2, because PCs and consoles were closer, and in Crysis 1 we only focused on PCs. There is unfortunately always a compromise that we have to take, but at the same time we're trying to not compromise the PC but push the consoles." 

We would probably respectfully disagree with Yerli on the parity between PC's and consoles when Crysis 2 hit the streets early last year, however if you look at the "average" computing power of a PC Gamer he might have a point. As an enthusiast it can sometimes be easy to forget that these companies need to sell millions, not thousands of copies to justify the development costs of a modern shooter.

Check out the full interview over on our sister site PCGamer.com 

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Asus’s New Zenbook UX32VD Gets Top Marks For Reparability From iFixit

Posted: 19 Aug 2012 09:34 AM PDT

ZenbookComponent makers are under more pressure than ever to design thin and light products, but as iFixit has pointed out on more than one occasion, a millimeter could be the difference between a throw a way gadget, and a serviceable one. Apple's new Retina Macbook Pro is an excellent example of design over function. It's a glorious mess of metal and glue, and all we can say to those who plunked down over $2,000 to own one, we hope you're never in need of an out of warranty repair. Asus seems determined get the Ultrabook design right, and as enthusiasts who love to tinker, we like what we've seen in the iFxitit UX32VD teardown.

On the surface the Zenbook design looks very much like the highly renowned Macbook Air, however the extra two millimeters of thickness adds a world of possibilities for PC owners. The gorgeous 1080p display can actually be separated and replaced, RAM can be added to increase capacity, and even the storage uses the industry standard 2.5" design, making upgrading or replacement down the road a piece of cake. The Zenbook's 48 Whr battery is also easy to get at and replace, though it does require removing a handful of Torx screws to access. This will no doubt help extend the useful life of the machine well into the future, but might net you a few concerned looks if you try and do it on a transatlantic flight.

The iFixit teardown nets the Zenbook UX32VD an 8 out of 10 for reparability, and might be worth looking at if you're on the hunt for a new thin and light Ivy Bridge machine.

(Image Credit = iFixit.com)

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MMO and SEO News from Gameforumer.com

MMO and SEO News from Gameforumer.com


Review: Neo Aquarium: King of Crustaceans

Posted: 19 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT

Neo Aquarium is weird. That was all I knew about the game when I started it up. Well, that and the fact that it features crabs with lasers. No more needed to be known, I thought — this was going … read more »

Review: Guardian Heroes Storms Back From the Dead

Posted: 19 Aug 2012 08:23 AM PDT

Rage didn’t start out the way I thought it would. My idea of it was mostly based on its initial reveal some years ago: depicting a barren wasteland where people live, drive, and dress in whatever they can find. Just … read more »

DOTA Online (TW)

Posted: 18 Aug 2012 08:22 PM PDT

Even if I am a Chinese myself (not from China though), I can’t help but to fume at MMO developers and publishers who have zero creativity when marketing their games. Game content duplicating is seen as a norm now, but … read more »

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Rise and Shiny: Darkblood Online

Posted: 19 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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Darkblood Online screenshot
If you are a fan of action-based MMOs like Rusty Hearts and Dungeon Fighter Online, then you might want to check out Outspark's new title Darkblood Online. Not only does it hand out the same bang for the buck, but it does so with a unique and flashy style that I haven't seen before. I spent the last week chopping up monsters, shooting demons, and conquering dungeons. I saw some of the weaknesses of the title as well, but overall it possesses an honesty about its intentions that helps to keep the good times rolling.

There is definitely a persistent nature to the game. It's an MMORPG, so don't worry. It's not a MOBA or social game with multiplayer elements even though a player could spend much of her time soloing areas. The whole thing is balanced between an arcade grinder and a living world.

But I'll try to not get ahead of myself.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Darkblood Online

MassivelyRise and Shiny: Darkblood Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Previously on MV TV: The week of August 11th

    Posted: 19 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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    Previously On MV TV banner
    Cheer up, grumpy! It's time for another Massively TV recap! Look, if you promise to smile, I'll throw in an extra stream or two... but only this once. Wait, you don't have any idea what I am talking about? This is the first time you have taken a moment to check out this wonderful series? Allow me to explain: Each week I take some of the best and brightest livestreams from our famed livestream channel, package them up after the cut below, and serve them to you hot and fresh. All you have to do is promise to bookmark our Massively TV guide so you won't miss another stream! Got it? OK, so let's check out what I have for you this week.

    Richie killed a bunch of people in SMITE, Blake killed a bunch of people in Star Wars: The Old Republic PvP, Mike killed himself in EVE Online and World of Tanks, MJ killed a bunch of NPCs in The Secret World, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes and EverQuest II, and I blew through a series of dungeons while gathering massive amounts of loot in Darkblood Online. If killing and looting is your business, this week's recap could serve as your newsletter.

    Continue reading Previously on MV TV: The week of August 11th

    MassivelyPreviously on MV TV: The week of August 11th originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: Is Ubisoft cashing in with Silent Hunter and Anno Online?

      Posted: 19 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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      The Daily Grind - Is Ubisoft cashing in with Silent Hunter and Anno OnlineLast week's Gamescom saw publishing giant Ubisoft dip its toe into the free-to-play browser game market. It did so with a pair of titles based on ancient, beloved franchises. First up was Silent Hunter Online, a riff on the submarine sim that's been playable on your PC since 1996.

      Ubisoft followed that up with Anno Online, a simplified version of the long-running Anno real-time strategy series that debuted in 1998 (if you've never heard of Anno, you might be an American who played it under the Dawn of Discovery moniker).

      A cynic might say that Ubisoft is looking to milk the nostalgia factor by taking a couple of complex titles and turning them into accessible MMO-lite affairs. An optimist might say that this is the logical next step if franchises are to remain relevant in the age of casual gaming. What do you think? Is Ubisoft cashing in, or will Silent Hunter Online and Anno Online be worthy of their names?

      Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

      MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Is Ubisoft cashing in with Silent Hunter and Anno Online? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Mog Log: I won't miss you when you're gone

        Posted: 18 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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        The Mog Log header by A. Fienemann
        If you needed any more reminders that the end is coming to this version of Final Fantasy XIV, Naoki Yoshida kindly provided several during his time at Gamescom 2012 this week, and they weren't subtle ones, either. He didn't come out and say, "Enjoy the game now because it might not be here next month," but there were definitely some implications. The shutdown before the resurrection is coming soon.

        There's some worry inherent in that change. I've talked about that before. But there are also a lot of parts of the game that I am not going to miss in the slightest. There are changes coming that I welcome with open arms, elements of the game that will be gutted and removed that I will bid farewell without regret.

        Some of these elements are things I've never liked. Some of them are actually systems I've been fond of in the past but I won't miss once they're gone. But all of them appear to be going the way of the dodo -- or at least they should -- and I'm not going to weep any tears when they shuffle off.

        Continue reading The Mog Log: I won't miss you when you're gone

        MassivelyThe Mog Log: I won't miss you when you're gone originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Tattered Notebook: Celebrating the search for the perfect UI

          Posted: 18 Aug 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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          The Tattered Notebook  Celebrating the search for the perfect UI
          EQInterface and EQ2Interface have been stalwart sidekicks for me through the years, and it's great to see them expand into other games. They now have a library of UIs for several MMOs and have really helped put player-made UIs on the map. EverQuest II's site had a news article announcing that the collective UI site, now called MMOUI.com, is celebrating its 10th birthday this week, so I thought I'd get in the celebratory spirit by highlighting a few iconic favorites and taking a brief look at the state of the user interface in MMOs. I've included picks from three SOE MMOs: EverQuest, Vanguard, and of course, EverQuest II.

          In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll put down our macros, take a break from resizing windows, and look at the quest for the perfect UI.

          Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Celebrating the search for the perfect UI

          MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Celebrating the search for the perfect UI originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

            Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates


            Review: Guardian Heroes Storms Back From the Dead

            Posted: 19 Aug 2012 08:23 AM PDT

            Rage didn’t start out the way I thought it would. My idea of it was mostly based on its initial reveal some years ago: depicting a barren wasteland where people live, drive, and dress in whatever they can find. Just … read more »

            DOTA Online (TW)

            Posted: 18 Aug 2012 08:22 PM PDT

            Even if I am a Chinese myself (not from China though), I can’t help but to fume at MMO developers and publishers who have zero creativity when marketing their games. Game content duplicating is seen as a norm now, but … read more »

            MMORPG News

            MMORPG News


            Dungeon Fighter Online: The Avenger Origin Story

            Posted: 17 Aug 2012 03:51 PM PDT

            The Avenger Origin Story

            Nexon and the Dungeon Fighter Online team have released a new trailer showing off the origin story of the Priest advanced class, The Avenger. The Avenger has the ability to turn himself into a demon to inflict massive damage on his opponents. Check it out!

            Requiem: Memento Mori: Weekend Olympics & Heading to Facebook

            Posted: 17 Aug 2012 03:39 PM PDT

            Weekend Olympics & Heading to Facebook

            Gravity Interactive has announced that this weekend Requiem players will have an opportunity to participate in the Ethergian Olympic Event, a series of four special events where players can win medals that yield real world cash. In addition, Gravity announced that Requiem will be coming to Facebook next month.

            Serenia Fantasy: Open Beta Imminent

            Posted: 17 Aug 2012 03:35 PM PDT

            Open Beta Imminent

            JoyoPark has announced that the open beta for Serenia Fantasy will be arriving shortly. While no exact date was given, the team indicated that it would be 'very soon'. Serenia Fantasy is a browser based MMO.

            CABAL Online: Episode VIII: Arcane Trace Deployed

            Posted: 17 Aug 2012 03:23 PM PDT

            Episode VIII: Arcane Trace Deployed

            CABAL Online players will definitely want to head into the game to check out the latest update, Episode VIII: Arcane Trace. The new patch brings a host of new content and features into the game.

            Entropia Universe: Coming to a Browser or Mobile Near You

            Posted: 17 Aug 2012 03:30 PM PDT

            Coming to a Browser or Mobile Near You

            Entropia Universe developer, Mind Ark, has announced a new partnership with Project Whitecard. Under the agreement, the pair will work to bring Mind Ark's games to nearly any browser and mobile platform that currently exists giving players a way to take part in their favorite titles anywhere in the world.

            MechWarrior Online: The Hunchback

            Posted: 17 Aug 2012 03:18 PM PDT

            The Hunchback

            No, not that one. This Hunchback is a brawler from the upcoming MechWarrior Online and is a formidable opponent. According to the dev team, the Hunchback gives as good as it gets and is usually in the vanguard of any attack. Check out this video if you're not convinced!

            General: Origin EON 11-S Laptop Review

            Posted: 17 Aug 2012 03:09 PM PDT

            Origin EON 11-S Laptop Review

            The Origin line of computers launched earlier this week with great fanfare. We had the opportunity to check out the Origin EON 11-S laptop. See how it fared in our exclusive review.

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