General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Apple, Samsung Both Losers in South Korea Court

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:47 PM PDT

The high profile trial between Apple and Samsung in the U.S. has yet to be decided, but in a South Korean court, a three-judge panel ruled that both firms are infringing on each other. Both were awarded damages, and hit with with sales bans to infringing smartphones and tablets, although not any of the newer devices, including the iPhone 4S, iPad, or Samsung Galaxy S III.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the judges found Apple in violation of two Samsung technology patents, and Samsung in violation of a single Apple patent. Even though both lost, Samsung has more to celebrate, as the South Korean court is the first to side with the firm in the argument that its standards-related patents are undervalued. The ruling gives Samsung ammunition in other related cases.

"We welcome today's ruling, which affirms our position that Apple has been using our mobile telecommunications standards patents without having obtained the necessary licenses," Samsung said in a statement, according to Bloomberg. "Today's ruling also affirmed our position that one single company cannot monopolize generic design features."

Barring an appeal, Aplpe must cease sales of the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and first and second generation iPad devices in South Korea. Samsung, meanwhile, was ordered to stop selling a dozen products, including the Galaxy S, Galaxy S II, and Galaxy Tab, all effective immediately.

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Modder Saves Dark Souls PC Port from Crappy Resolution Restriction

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:43 AM PDT

It took forever and a day (actually, just a year, it only feels longer), but From Software's popular console title, Dark Souls, is now available on the PC. The console version of the Japanese hit was generally lauded by reviewers and game critics, and for better or worse, PC gamers finally get to see what all the fuss is about in a faithful port of the title to Windows.

Perhaps too faithful. Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition (as publisher Namco Bandai has rebranded it for the PC) locked the resolution at 1024x720. Most PC gamers, and especially hardcore ones, have long since graduated to bigger and better screen resolutions, and luckily for the lot of us, NeoGAF forum member and modder "Durante" came up with a mod within hours of the game's release that allows you to change the resolution.

That's good news, because the game has potential. Our sister site, PC Gamer, posted a three-page online review of the PC port, awarding the game an 89/100 verdict and calling it a "deep, dark, challenging, and impossibly rewarding fantasy RPG."

Check out the review, and if it floats your boat, you can grab the title for $40.

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MSI Upgrades GT70 0NE Gaming Laptop with GeForce GTX 680M GPU

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:16 AM PDT

MSI describes its flagship G Series GT70 0NE as "the most awesome gaming notebook ever," a description we're sure its competitors would disagree with, though you can't argue with the laundry list of high end parts crammed underneath the hood. The newest piece of hardware to crawl inside MSI's GT70 laptop is Nvidia's GeForce GTX 680M GPU, only the fastest mobile graphics chip currently available.

You have to spend big to play big, though, and the GT70 0NE configured with a 680M GPU and loaded to the tilt streets for around $2,600. That's not cheap for a 17.3-inch laptop. MSI justifies the hefty price tag by equipping the system with heavy hitting components, including an Intel Core i7 3610QM quad-core processor (Ivy Bridge) clocked at 2.3GHz, 16GB of DDR3-1600 memory, a pair of 128GB solid state drives humming in RAID 0 and flanked by a 750GB hard drive, Blu-ray burner, Killer Gaming Network card, SteelSeries backlit keyboard, 720p HD webcam, 9-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

There are cheaper configurations available starting at around $1,500 street, which includes the same processor, 12GB of memory, no solid state drives, and a GeForce GTX 670M GPU. MSI also sells less expensive versions of the GT70 0NE built around the GTX 680M starting at $2,200, which is spec'd like the $2,600 rig above but with 64GB SSDs instead of 128GB.

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Consumer Watchdog Group Barks at Google's FTC Settlement, Files Motion in Court

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:46 AM PDT

Consumer Watchdog, a non-profit consumer education and advocacy organization operating out of California, has filed a motion in U.S. District Court opposing Google's $22.5 million settlement with with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) earlier this month. The organization isn't happy with the fine amount, but just as important, it doesn't believe Google should be able to deny any wrongdoing.

Google settled a suit with the FTC in early August following an investigation that it was planting advertising cookies on machines running Apple's Safari browser, and doing so by circumventing built-in cookie blocking measures. The $22.5 million fine was the largest ever handed out by the FTC and was intended to send a "clear message to all companies" that such behavior would not be tolerated. However, the fine hardly amounted to a kiss on the wrist for Google, which raked in $37.9 billion in revenue last year, almost all of which came from advertising.

"The Commission is proposing to let Google buy its way out of trouble for an amount that is less than the company spends on lunches for its employees and with no admission it did anything wrong," said John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog's Privacy Project director. "Corporations need to be held accountable when they willfully violate a consent agreement."

The motion (PDF) requests that Consumer Watchdog be granted friend-of-the-court status, thereby allowing it to submit briefs opposing the settlement. It also asks for a hearing on the proposed deal, with Consumer Watchdog being allowed to attend.

Image Credit: Flickr (MandeeSears)

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Amazon Inks Expanded Prime Instant Video Deal with NBCUniversal

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:19 AM PDT

With Google's recently launched Nexus 7 tablet encroaching on what had been Amazon's territory led by the Kindle Fire, the e-tailer is busy beefing up what it hopes will prove a trump card. You can't stream Amazon Prime Instant Video to the Nexus 7, but you can on the Kindle Fire (provided you didn't root the device and feed it Ice Cream Sandwich), which will now enjoy access to an even larger catalog courtesy of an expanded content licensing agreement with NBCUniversal and New Media Distribution.

The expanded deal adds hundreds of popular TV episodes to Prime, including past seasons of Parks and Recreation, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Battlestar Galactica, and more.

"We continue to invest heavily in our content selection for Prime members, and have now reached over 22,000 movies and TV episodes available instantly with unlimited streaming," said Brade Beale, Director of Digital Video Content Acquisition for Amazon.

In addition the Kindle Fire, Amazon's Prime Instant Video service is available on the iPad, Roku, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and several other compatible devices. The subscription service costs $79 annually and also includes free two-day shipping on millions of items, along with one free Kindle eBook rental per month from the Kindle Owners' Lending Library. If you're a student, you can access the service free for six months, after which time it flips to a discounted $39/year membership.

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This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:08 AM PDT

Canon EOS 1DX

If you're a PC user, Windows 8 is coming to get you whether you like it or not. Upgrade prices are thoroughly reasonable and you should see a performance increase no matter how old your system is.

But before you buy it, you should probably read our mammoth review, because Windows has changed… a lot.

This week we've also been looking at a wide range of other exciting gear, so check it out and let @techradar know what's on your techy wish list!

Canon 1DX review

A price tag of £5,299/$6,799 brings certain expectations, and the Canon EOS-1DX's build lives up to them. This is a camera that you can expect to survive several years of heavy use. Thanks to the control layout and deep comfortable grips it is also one that you can enjoy using.

The Canon EOS-1DX's noise control and autofocus performance particularly impress, and these are key areas for professional photojournalists who need a camera that they can rely on to get a decent image, whatever the conditions. With an f/2.8 lens, the 1DX can focus in very low light, and even at high sensitivities it delivers images that are clean enough to turn into full-page prints.

Windows 8

Windows 8 review

Windows 8 is faster - you'll notice the difference on older PCs as much as on new ones. Battery life improves enough to be noticeable. And it's significantly more secure. That makes the low upgrade price a bargain, and given that you can upgrade from any version of Windows, you only need to pay more than the upgrade price if you're building a new PC from parts.

And then there are the features, such as Storage Space and File History, or the new Windows Explorer, or better multi-monitor support. The charm bar, especially the handy icons on the Setting bar, puts most of the tools you actually use to manage your PC at your fingertips. The cloud integration in Windows 8 is a game changer.

YouView review

YouView review

As small, affordable upgrade to a BT Vision box, we can see YouView carving a tidy little niche. As a stand-alone service for the rest of us, YouView could be a world-beater - and the addition of Sky Movies via Now TV will attract some. Still, we're sure YouView was primarily meant to be for those who want to watch EastEnders reruns from the previous day without firing up a laptop; the creators of this platform will have to be very careful in adding apps and services that dilute its free-to-air roots.

Perhaps content from the likes of Now TV and other on-demand film apps such as Netflix, Lovefilm or Acetrax should only be present on YouView if you activate them. Its development will be interesting to watch, though we do know one thing; YouView is so much nicer to use than separate apps on a smart TV.

Other reviews this week:

Cameras

Nikon Coolpix S9300 review

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX20 review

Cases

Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced review

Lian Li PC-Q03B review

Chillblast Fusion Vacuum Mini review

HIS HD 7870 IceQ GHz Edition review

Desktops

ViBox Boss-X review

Graphics Cards

Asus GTX 660 Ti DCU II Top review

Zotac GT 640 ZONE review

Keyboards

Corsair Vengeance K90 review

Monitors

BenQ GW2750HM review

Tablets

Hands on: Archos 10 XS

Powercolor Dances with the Devil 13 HD7990 Dual GPU Graphics Card

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:01 AM PDT

TUL Corporation's PowerColor division just unveiled one hell of a graphics card. It's the Devil 13 HD7990, and this fiery card wages war with dual Tahiti XT GPUs, the same as found in AMD's single GPU Radeon HD 7970 videocard. It's the first to launch out of AMD's much anticipated HD 7990 series, and the card looks every bit as beastly as you would expect from a part that takes up three slots.

PowerColor clocked the Devil 13 HD7990's GPU at 925MHz and 6GB of GDDR5 memory at 1,375MHz. With the flip of a dual-BIOS switch button, the core clockspeed is goosed to 1,000MHz.

There are 10 heatpipes and three fans cooling the hardware underneath the massive shroud. Pop it off and you'll discover a printed circuit board (PCB) with a 12+2+2 power phase design and several other enhancements as part of PowerColor's "platinum power kit" designed to enhance stability and deliver steady voltage to the GPU.

There's no word on price, but considering the Radeon HD 7970 streets for $410 and up, we'd be surprised if this one one didn't come close to the $1,000 mark.

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PC Shipments Stagnate Ahead of Windows 8 Launch, IDC Says

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:25 AM PDT

With Microsoft getting ready to launch its next generation operating system (OS), buyers and vendors appear stuck in a holding pattern staring at soon-to-be dated inventory. As a result, analysts at International Data Corporation (IDC) lowered their outlook on the market and now predict the PC shipments will grow just 0.9 percent in 2012. That's actually up slightly compared to one year ago, though it's the second consecutive year of sub-2 percent growth, IDC says.

IDC's analysis is reflected in disappointing quarters by major OEMs like Hewlett-Packard and Dell, the latter of which noted it's been "challenging" trying to grow a PC business lately, the same word IDC used to describe the current environment.

"The U.S. market will remain depressed until Windows 8 products hit the shelves in the fourth quarter of 2012. The industry is responding by reducing shipments of PCs and clearing Windows 7-based inventories to pave the way for a new generation of systems. But, as we move into the tail end of the third quarter, PC activity will continue to slow as demand drops. The third-quarter back to school season is also proving to be a challenging period, despite prices dropping to their lowest levels. We expect the year will end with shipments in the U.S. falling by 3.7 percent, marking the second consecutive year of contraction," said David Daoud, research director, Personal Computing at IDC.

It's not all gloom and doom, however; IDC says Windows 8 coupled with Ultrabooks could present a positive turn of events next year, though that assumes the market will react positively to Microsoft's touch-friendly OS rather than run it out of town like Windows ME, which was only on store shelves a year before XP appeared.

Image Credit: Dell

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MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Funcom delays The Secret World's Digging Deeper update

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT

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Funcom delays The Secret World's Digging Deeper update
It's been a rough week for Funcom, as The Secret World developer has been busy dealing with post-launch layoffs and finding work for those affected. As such, the game's second monthly content patch has been delayed until September 11th.

The Digging Deeper content drop was originally scheduled to go live on Tuesday, August 28th. The patch features new abilities, action and investigation missions, and a new rocket launcher weapon. Avatar customization is also getting a makeover, with tweaks available via a Brooklyn-based plastic surgeon or a London-area barber shop.

"We will also continue to push out regular content like announced before," Funcom says on it's official website. "This small delay is merely due to the re-organization and assessment of processes that has been initiated. We are working hard to get back on track as soon as possible."

MassivelyFuncom delays The Secret World's Digging Deeper update originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Wushu launch announced for Oct 18th

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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Age of Wushu launch announced for Oct 18th
Get ready to get your kung-fu on: Age of Wushu, the English version, releases globally on October 18th, 2012. Elite pre-orders will get access to the free-to-play fantasy game a week early on the 11th.

Although the initial announcement was short on details and left many folks wondering if it was referring to a beta, further clarification has said that there will not be any character wipes between the early elite and the general releases. More information is promised soon, and we'll keep you posted as it becomes available.

[Thanks to SWGbesteva for the tip!]

MassivelyAge of Wushu launch announced for Oct 18th originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIFT's test shard hints at new soul names, future events

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:30 AM PDT

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RIFT
RIFT's Public Test Shard is a lovely place to take a peek into the future. After the shard's most recent update, such peeks are of a particularly informative variety.

Three NPCs aboard the wreck of the ship Endeavor showcase what appear to be new Storm Legion soul names. These fine folk have the labels of Tempest, Defiler, and Tactician. A fourth NPC stands among them with the Harbinger title, which has already been confirmed as a soul for the expansion. The new names match up with hints dropped on the RIFT forums regarding the names of new soul trees. It isn't super official yet, but a new Warrior soul called Tempest, a Cleric soul called Defiler, and a Tactician soul for Rogues seem to all be safe bets.

In addition to the delectable new soul teases, the PTS update brought in Tempest Rising, a new world event which introduces the awakening of Crucia. Players will evidently need to fight off Storm Legion baddies, spread the word of the Storm Legion's arrival, and otherwise make ready for the oncoming storm.

MassivelyRIFT's test shard hints at new soul names, future events originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RuneScape behind-the-scenes video rebuilds Al-Kharid

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:00 AM PDT

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RuneScape behindthescenes video rebuilds AlKharid
Although players won't find bright orange construction cones littering the streets of Al-Kharid in RuneScape, developers are busy rebuilding the desert city. And lest you think "under construction" is just a euphemism for workers standing around, leaning on their shovels while enjoying some coffee, Jagex has released a behind-the-scenes video showing off the work in progress.

In the video, the developers discuss how the rebuilding will bring the city to life; they want to portray a dynamic city with an undercurrent of menace. When the new and improved Al-Kharid goes live, players will find a larger population, a wider variety of character models, more cinematic elements, and a new questline to take advantage of all the changes.

For a peek at some of the new character models and more, watch the video after the cut.

Continue reading RuneScape behind-the-scenes video rebuilds Al-Kharid

MassivelyRuneScape behind-the-scenes video rebuilds Al-Kharid originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MechWarrior Online invites you to River City

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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MechWarrior Online
It's important to remember that for every shell-shocked city that you're rampaging through with your 40-ton 'Mech, there are families who have lost everything in the destruction. But enough about them -- more pew pew! Welcome to MechWarrior Online's River City, where the fun never stops and the human suffering is drowned out by cheers of "PWNED!"

In a new video, Piranha Games shows off the urban battlefield of River City. It's a high-tech metropolis on fire, with hazy smoke and broken highways abounding. In the middle of River City is a fortified building, which is the high ground. Holding this will help players achieve their two objectives: a space port and an industrial port facility.

And yes, the narrator actually uses the words "River City" and "ransom" in the same sentence. There's a strange video game crossover going on here.

You can visit River City after the jump, but you probably won't want to move there.

Continue reading MechWarrior Online invites you to River City

MassivelyMechWarrior Online invites you to River City originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft mobile app now offers all services for free

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:00 AM PDT

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What next? Free sparkleponies?
World of Warcraft just got a little freer. Blizzard announced today that the services offered as WoW's Remote subscription service are now free to all WoW subscribers. That means that you can now chat with your guild and avail yourself of auction house services from your mobile device. All you need to start devoting even more of your waking hours to WoW is the Mobile Armory app, which is (and was) free. Along with the newly free features, you'll be able to access character profiles, realm status updates, a talent calculator, and more.

Current WoW Remote subscribers will be contacted by Blizzard soon with more information regarding the end of their subscriptions.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft mobile app now offers all services for free originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: How will you spend this GW2 pre-purchase headstart weekend?

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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Guild Wars 2
Despite the fact that we like to cover the bejeezus out of MMO launch days, not everyone is feeling Guild Wars 2. And that's fair -- we're all different people with different preferences.

Regardless of your opinion of the ArenaNet game, Guild Wars 2 is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated MMO launches in years. We have over five years of build-up to thank for that, including plenty of hands-on time during beta weekends, stress testing, trailers, guides, etc.

But we want to hear from you, the Massively readers. One of the top reasons we love you so much is that you're such a diverse crowd. Some of you love obscure indie MMOs, some of you love the next big-budget triple-A MMO, and most of you like everything in between.

So how will you spend this headstart weekend for the (arguably) most anticipated MMO of the year? Have you pre-purchased, and you have a little notebook sitting by your keyboard with manic scribbles detailing the races, classes, genders, and names of each character (not that we know anyone like that...)? Will you be starting one day early, as part of the pre-order? Or will it be just another weekend where you'll be playing your favorite MMO without a worry in the world about anything containing the initials G and W? Speak up and let your voices be heard!

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: How will you spend this GW2 pre-purchase headstart weekend? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Guild Wars 2 posts online manual, talks economy and art

    Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:00 PM PDT

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    Guild Wars 2 talks economy and art
    One of the unsung heroes of MMOs is the economist -- the guy or gal in charge of making sure that supply and demand doesn't get all wonky. Whether you think about in-game economy or not, its function impacts everyone. For ArenaNet, the man in charge of keeping Guild Wars 2's money ship float is John Smith, and he's created an interesting infographic showing the state of the economy from the beta process.

    From the chart, Smith deduces many interesting trends that may or may not play out in the live game. The largest sources of income during the beta were rewards, followed by dynamic events and tasks, while the most frequently traded items were crafting materials. He notes that an abnormal percentage of players gravitated to jewelcrafting as a profession, although he speculates that this was because of the temporary nature of the beta. Smith even compares the rate of gems to gold to Facebook's recent IPO and finds a similar pattern therein.

    Keeping up with the information reveals, ArenaNet has released the online manual for Guild Wars 2 that covers everything from "getting started" to "competitive play."

    If the economy and manual don't interest you, perhaps art does. MSNBC interviewed Art Director Daniel Dociu about the look of Guild Wars 2, and you can watch it right here after the break.

    Continue reading Guild Wars 2 posts online manual, talks economy and art

    MassivelyGuild Wars 2 posts online manual, talks economy and art originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Amazon adds familiar Guild Wars 2 racial armor previews to its product page

    Posted: 23 Aug 2012 07:00 PM PDT

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    Let's do the armor dressup again!
    If you haven't already grabbed a copy of Guild Wars 2, time is running out, and you may very well want to head over to Amazon to purchase it. And what will you find there? Why, several familiar videos previewing racial armors for all five of the game's races. You know, the same videos that you saw here a few days ago from the talented Richie Procopio, which walk through the looks of all the armors and how to obtain the appearances early.

    Before you ask, there are no underhanded shenanigans at work here; Amazon asked our permission to use Richie's spectacular videos to help spread awareness about the game. If you're looking forward to the game, it's as good a reason as any to look at the videos once again, and either way we'd like to congratulate Richie on getting some high-level awareness. (We're just a wee bit proud at the moment.)

    MassivelyAmazon adds familiar Guild Wars 2 racial armor previews to its product page originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Massively Exclusive: Previewing Mihile from MapleStory's New Dawn update

    Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:00 PM PDT

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    The old dawn was actually kind of boring.
    It's going to be a brand-new day for MapleStory when the New Dawn update goes live in early September. If you can't wait that long, we've got a little treat for you: a video preview of Mihile, who previously served as an NPC and can be played in the update. Players will be able to explore Mihile and find out how he became the Knight of Light -- and investigate his abilities in the process.

    Mihile uses a one-handed sword and a special shield known as the Soul Shield. Unlike other shields, this one improves as Mihile does, earning an upgrade with each advancement and leveling up as it gains experience. That gives Mihile a defensive bulwark from the start of his career all the way to the apex. Check out the preview past the cut, and keep your eyes peeled for more information before the update in early September.

    Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Previewing Mihile from MapleStory's New Dawn update

    MassivelyMassively Exclusive: Previewing Mihile from MapleStory's New Dawn update originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Summoner's Guidebook: Our favorite League of Legends bottom lane teams

      Posted: 23 Aug 2012 05:00 PM PDT

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      The Summoner's Guidebook Our favorite League of Legends bottom lane teams
      Although building a team composition in League of Legends is all about synergy, the bottom lane in Summoner's Rift is the most critical. In Dominion, players may split up as the needs demand, and the other characters in Summoner's Rift spend around 15 minutes of each game on their own against a lone enemy.

      The bottom lane has two characters that are essentially joined at the hip for most of the game. While the support will eventually roam free and the carry may engage in some solo pushing or farming, those two characters spend much of the game together.

      It makes sense then that these two characters should mesh well. Here's a list of my favorite teams. If you're stumped on whom to pick for carry or support, you should try some of these out.

      Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Our favorite League of Legends bottom lane teams

      MassivelyThe Summoner's Guidebook: Our favorite League of Legends bottom lane teams originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Guild Council: Why you should diversify your guild roster

        Posted: 23 Aug 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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        The Guild Council  Why it's good to diversify your roster
        More than once in this column, I've tried to hammer home the point that it's important to recruit players who match up well with your guild. So much guild drama spawns from a situation in which one player just doesn't fit in with the culture of the guild.

        But you don't want to lead a bunch of sheep, either, and while there are certain traits that you want to see match up (like playtimes, game style in general, and chat preference), it's worth it to carry a roster with some diversity. In the past, we've looked at a few good player types to seek out, but in this week's Guild Counsel, I'd like to look more closely at some of the more subtle personalities that are good to have on board.

        Continue reading The Guild Council: Why you should diversify your guild roster

        MassivelyThe Guild Council: Why you should diversify your guild roster originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Iran blocks Guild Wars, World of Warcraft

          Posted: 23 Aug 2012 03:00 PM PDT

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          Iran blocks Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft
          Reports are coming in that Iran is moving to block access to several MMOs, including World of Warcraft and Guild Wars. This comes following a conference by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance earlier this month. At the conference, the Islamic Revolution Game Designers Community was formed and decided to ban games that promote superstition, mythology, violence, and revealing clothing.

          Following the decision, the government started cracking down on various services and MMOs, such as Battle.net's library and ArenaNet's Guild Wars series. Other games targeted include RuneScape, Second Life, Dofus, Evony, and Entropia Universe.

          It's unclear to what extent the government is attempting to enforce these bans, and Iranian players are looking into workaround solutions to access their MMOs. It's interesting to note that Blizzard does not authorize downloads of its products or services in Iran.

          MassivelyIran blocks Guild Wars, World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          LotRO's Wardens to get much-needed streamlining

          Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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          LotRO's Wardens to get muchneeded streamlining
          Just in case any of you Wardens in Lord of the Rings Online have actually got a handle on the class after the previous 1,437 iterations, Turbine's throwing a few more monkeys in the gambits for you. The studio posted the changes that Wardens will be seeing with this October's Riders of Rohan and admits that the class needed more streamlining.

          With the expansion, Wardens will get a pair of new gambits and an improved root at high levels as well as a couple of travel skills. There are plenty of other changes and quality of life improvements that are probably gobbledygook to anyone other than practiced Wardens. Long story short, the team's hoping to clarify several skills, condense others, and create more synergy between the buffs.

          MassivelyLotRO's Wardens to get much-needed streamlining originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Wurm Online 1.0 update to feature multi-story buildings, new avatar customization

          Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:30 PM PDT

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          Wurm Online 1.0 to feature multistory buildings, new avatar customization
          Wurm Online may have been in development for nearly a decade, but December 6th of this year marks the project's first official deadline.

          Version 1.0 of the browser-based sandbox title is coming, and it boasts multi-story buildings and new character models with customizable facial features (not to mention visible armor and proper bone structure). Wurm creator Rolf Jansson has just posted a new dev blog with all the details on the new milestone. "The game will still be far from finished but it will have a nice (huge) set of features which all come together in a very strong way," he says.

          Wurm is a skill-based persistent world that's both free of instancing and free-to-play. Jansson describes it as a "player-driven economy sandbox MMO providing a strong endgame."

          MassivelyWurm Online 1.0 update to feature multi-story buildings, new avatar customization originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Guild Wars 2 stress test today

          Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT

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          Guild Wars 2 stress test today
          It's a day that ends with a Y, which means it must be time for another Guild Wars 2 stress test. OK, we're half kidding; it only seems like there have been 65,000 stress tests over the past few weeks.

          In any event, the latest round kicks off today at 4:00 p.m. EDT. It lasts for only an hour, though, so if you absolutely, positively cannot wait until launch (or early release) to log into Tyria, enjoy.

          MassivelyGuild Wars 2 stress test today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Chaos Theory: Understanding The Secret World's crafting, part one

          Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:30 PM PDT

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          Chaos Theory 22
          The Secret World's crafting system, much like the rest of the game, is deeper and more complex than it first appears. On the surface, it's a matter of arranging stacks of materials into Minecraft-like visual patterns and pushing your assemble button.

          Underneath that, though, there's an elaborate game-within-the-game that's one of the more enjoyable MMO tradeskill systems I've experienced to date. Is it strictly necessary? Well, no. The Secret World is not a pure sandbox, so players can simply use drops and auctioned items to equip their characters.

          Rune-, glyph-, signet-, and gear-crafting offers an absurd amount of customization, though, and those of you who want full control over your decks and your play experience will want to have a look through my two-part crafting guide.

          Continue reading Chaos Theory: Understanding The Secret World's crafting, part one

          MassivelyChaos Theory: Understanding The Secret World's crafting, part one originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Gamescom 2012: Talking Firefall with David Williams

            Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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            Gamescom 2012 Talking FireFall with David Williams
            Firefall has undergone quite a few changes over time just like most betas. As the size of the testing base slowly grows to massive proportions, more and more input fuels the ideas-machine at Red 5 Studios as it improves an already-impressive game. The immense booth at this year's Gamescom was testament to the amount of ambition the developers have for this free-to-play MMOTPS, and the sheer number of convention-goers in, up, and around the booth revealed no shortage of interest in the game. We were led into a small, air-conditioned room in the undercrofts of this behemoth of a booth so that we could have an intimate chat with Firefall's Lead Class Designer, David Williams, away from the noise of the show floor crowd.

            Continue reading Gamescom 2012: Talking Firefall with David Williams

            MassivelyGamescom 2012: Talking Firefall with David Williams originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Sevencore open beta begins September 6th

              Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT

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              Sevencore open beta begins September 6th
              With closed beta all wrapped up, the free-to-play sci-fi/fantasy mix MMORPG Sevencore is ready to take the next step. And that next step allows everyone the chance to experience the upcoming game; gPotato announced that open beta will begin just two weeks from today on September 6th. Once this beta starts, players will get to test out more mounts, new regions, and higher levels.

              For a glimpse of Sevencore, take a look at a few new screenshots below, and be sure to check out Massively's hands-on tour of the world.

              [Source: gPotato press release]

              Gallery: Sevencore

              MassivelySevencore open beta begins September 6th originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Guild Wars 2: Account linking and you [Updated]

                Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT

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                Guild Wars 2 Account linking and you
                You are surely aware that Guild Wars 2 is nearing its headstart and launch dates. You might also know that players of both Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 have a bit of incentive to link their accounts. The Massively team has been getting a fair few questions about the ins and outs of account linking, so this here is a bit of a knowledge dump that'll hopefully sort out some problems.

                Continue reading Guild Wars 2: Account linking and you [Updated]

                MassivelyGuild Wars 2: Account linking and you [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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