General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Identified, and Interviewed

Posted: 09 Jun 2013 04:19 PM PDT

Snowden

Edward Snowden gives his side of the story.

The source of the NSA leaks have finally been identified, and 29 year old Edward Snowden has come forward as the man responsible.  Snowden went on record during an interview with The Guardian, and he answered several questions to help us understand his motivation behind the leaks, and what he hopes it will accomplish.

Snowden describes himself as a classic whistleblower, motivated only by a sense of civic duty. "I think the sense of outrage that has been expressed is justified," Snowden told The Guardian. "It has given me hope that, no matter what happens to me, the outcome will be positive for America. I do not expect to see home again, though that is what I want." 

Perhaps the most shocking part of the interview was his assessment of how the NSA handles electronic surveillance. Snowden claims that "the NSA specifically targets the communications of everyone. It ingests them by default." Snowden's confession comes after ten years of government service, and a record that is difficult to discredit. When asked what he thinks will come of making his identity public he responded simply "nothing good". "I could be rendered by the CIA. I could have people come after me. Or any of the third-party partners. They work closely with a number of other nations. Or they could pay off the Triads. Any of their agents or assets." 

Follow Justin on Twitter or on Google+

Lenovo Officially Starts Up Its First U.S. PC Manufacturing Line in North Carolina

Posted: 09 Jun 2013 10:41 AM PDT

Lenovo HQ

Lenovo is finally pumping out machines made in the USA.

Lenovo has been on a roll these days. While the PC industry on a whole continues to suffer, they have continually taken market share and have prospered against the odds. Normally when a company has a recipe for success they continue to iterate, but last year they announced the reversal of a longstanding trend. Rather than continue adding production capacity in low cost labor markets, the company would build a brand new state-of-the-art PC manufacturing line in North Carolina. Late last week Lenovo announced it has made good on its promise, and machines are finally rolling off the line.

"Lenovo has achieved record growth and market share in the U.S. PC market, and the Whitsett manufacturing facility will enable us to further expand our presence here," said Yuanqing Yang, chairman and CEO of Lenovo. "The facility is a demonstration of our commitment to and confidence in the North American market, and we see tremendous opportunities for the continued growth and development of our manufacturing footprint here in the United States."

The company claims the new line adds 115 manufacturing jobs to the facility, and will increase the state output by more than $1 billion. "I am proud that Lenovo is continuing to invest in North Carolina, bringing needed jobs to the Greensboro area and providing a foundation for future economic growth in our state," said North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory. "Lenovo has been producing innovative and exciting products around the world and now they are in North Carolina's backyard and we're fortunate to have them." 

Follow Justin on Twitter or on Google+

Epic Announces Support for Oculus Rift in Unreal Engine 4 as Part of its Integrated Partners Program

Posted: 09 Jun 2013 09:27 AM PDT

Unreal Engine 4

This Kickstarter success story just keeps getting better.

Oculus Rift is still little more than a really promising virtual reality development kit, but that promise gets more real everyday as industry heavyweights throw in behind the scrappy little startup. Epic Games has always been an Oculus partner, but late last week the company finally announced native support for the VR headset in Unreal Engine 4

The announcement was buried in a press release where Epic also unveiled its Integrated Partners Program, an initiative that adds support for several middleware companies as well. In theory this should make it easier for developers to add on to the game engine, and add technologies such as Oculus or PhysX without too much difficulty.

Native support for such a popular next generation game engine is a major achievement for the Oculus team, and it should be a huge help when it comes time to finally ship a consumer friendly product. Individual developers won't be forced to support the Oculus, but removing barriers can only help.

Follow Justin on Twitter or on Google+

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Rise and Shiny: Revisiting EverQuest at level 65

Posted: 09 Jun 2013 10:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EverQuest screenshot
EverQuest is one of those titles that just won't go away. I mean that in the best possible way, of course. After 15 years and 19 (yes, 19!) expansions, it's possible that I could be writing about this game a decade from now. And why not? I just spent a month covering MUDs, some of them 20 years old, so why couldn't a game with such a rich history and loyal playerbase as EverQuest's stick around, well, forever?

I started playing around 2000 or 2001. I didn't catch on to it as much as my wife and soon was back in Ultima Online and later titles like City of Heroes. I have always kept up with EverQuest while still feeling a bit left behind because I didn't stay with it from the beginning. I am so jealous of a player who has actively played any game for 15 years. The character he or she has built has a wonderful story to tell!

Well, I decided this week was time to finally try to get back into EverQuest. What I found wasn't really surprising because I had kept up with the game's developments and played here and there, but the community and the gameplay definitely caught me off guard.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Revisiting EverQuest at level 65

MassivelyRise and Shiny: Revisiting EverQuest at level 65 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Jun 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

    One Shots: March beneath the raptor's wings

    Posted: 09 Jun 2013 08:00 AM PDT

    Filed under: , , , , , , ,

    One Shots March beneath the raptor's wings
    Man, it's downright shadowy underneath the raptor's wings! Reader Draxos is kicking off our player screenshot exhibition this week with an interestingly lit picture from Star Trek Online's new expansion.

    "This picture is of my new Romulan character inside a Romulan space station that was having a few ... issues," Draxos wrote in. "When the lights suddenly go out in a space station, you become thankful for the brightness outside the window because then at least there is some chance of seeing what may now be lurking within the darkness. Although you could say that my Reman crew members are the true ones to be fearful of in the dark."

    Couldn't you use the Borg's head as a flashlight? That's what I would do. Join us for more shadowy flights into dangerous worlds of characters who do not exist in today's One Shots!

    Continue reading One Shots: March beneath the raptor's wings

    MassivelyOne Shots: March beneath the raptor's wings originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Jun 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

      The Daily Grind: Do you subscribe for loyalty bonuses?

      Posted: 09 Jun 2013 06:00 AM PDT

      Filed under: , , , , , ,

      The Daily Grind Do you subscribe for loyalty bonuses
      Just because a game labels itself free-to-play doesn't mean that it lacks the option to subscribe. In fact, many so-called F2P titles offer a hybrid business model that seeks to attract the bees with the free honey and convince them to eventually rent out a spot on the honeycomb.

      As a frugal eagle, I don't like to subscribe if I can help it. Yet once in a while I do, either to support the game or (far more likely) to nab some of those sweet loyalty bonuses that subscribers get. Whether it's extra currency, boosts, cosmetic items, or that fancy forum title that makes me the envy of absolutely no one, subscription has its perks.

      So do you subscribe to an MMO to enjoy those extra frills? Are you eager to see what the next round of veteran rewards will give to you?

      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: Do you subscribe for loyalty bonuses? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Jun 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

      Permalink | Email this | Comments

        Massively Exclusive: Aion 4.0 videos showcase new classes and skills

        Posted: 08 Jun 2013 06:00 PM PDT

        Filed under: , , , , , ,

        Massively Exclusive Aion 40 videos showcase new classes and skills
        The clock is ticking down, and the wait for Aion 4.0 is almost over. But eager Daevas don't have to sit and twiddle their wings until June 26th to see the new classes in action; NCsoft offered Massively a sneak peek with a new trailer depicting the Gunslinger toting guns galore (from pistols to aethercannons) and the Songweaver, who packs a mean treble clef and can heal mana. If you want to blast holes in your opponents or turn them into dancing penguins, this is the video for you.

        Not interested in a new class? Then how about getting a gander at the new skills coming to the tried and true classes! There's something new for everyone as Daevas advance up to level 65. Take a look at those skills in the second video beyond the break.

        [Source: NCsoft press release]

        Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Aion 4.0 videos showcase new classes and skills

        MassivelyMassively Exclusive: Aion 4.0 videos showcase new classes and skills originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Jun 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

          Tattered Notebook: There's too much to do in EverQuest II!

          Posted: 08 Jun 2013 04:00 PM PDT

          Filed under: , , , , , , , , ,

          Tattered Notebook There's too much to do in EverQuest II!
          For this latest Tattered Notebook, I'd already planned -- and in fact was in the middle of -- writing impressions of Scars of the Awakened, EverQuest II's most recent meaty update. I've collected a slew of notes taken from the adventurer and crafter questlines, including some tips and time-saving tricks. But amidst all that intense update research (I gladly sacrifice myself for you guys!), I got distracted. And no, it wasn't by a shiny!

          You see, although the land of Cobalt Scar opened up just over a month ago, I've been pulled away and unable to complete everything I want to in that zone. Why? Because in that same time, there have been multiple city festivals, a round of Moonlight Enchantments (with new quests and brand-new housing items that were a must have), a double XP weekend that just begged for some serious crafting advancement, a commissioned housing project to complete, personal houses to decorate, old quests to finally finish up... and that was just to start!

          As the guilt for not finishing the entirety of GU66 settled in, friends who weren't as high-level as I wanted to play together in areas they had access to, which coincidentally did not include the latest update. So off I ran through older zones and dungeons with lower-leveled friends. Needless to say, my in-game adventures of late have stretched all over the map of Norrath. Sounds busy, no? It was during all this that I had to finally lay my delusions of finishing everything I have planned before EverQuest Next to rest; there's just too much to do in EQII!

          Continue reading Tattered Notebook: There's too much to do in EverQuest II!

          MassivelyTattered Notebook: There's too much to do in EverQuest II! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

            The Mog Log: Summing up Final Fantasy XIV beta phase 1 and 2

            Posted: 08 Jun 2013 02:00 PM PDT

            Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

            There are days I do love my job.
            Whenever I try to summarize what it is I find so special about Final Fantasy XIV, I find myself at a loss. It's not just the game mechanics, it's not just the setting, and it's not just a history of roleplaying that's stretched for the entirety of the game's history. So trying to summarize the first two beta phases is going to be difficult.

            I've hit all of the major points of the beta already, both the points of divergence and the points of similarity from my big tour back in February. But there are little dribs and drabs here and there that I haven't yet touched upon, things that I feel are relevant to the beta test of Final Fantasy XIV even if they don't fit into an individual column.

            So this is the conclusion. This time next week, we'll be awash in E3 news, so there's no finer time to wrap up my beta musings than now.

            Continue reading The Mog Log: Summing up Final Fantasy XIV beta phase 1 and 2

            MassivelyThe Mog Log: Summing up Final Fantasy XIV beta phase 1 and 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments

              MMOGaming News

              MMOGaming News


              TERA Taiwan Reveals New Frost Silver Dragon Weapons

              Posted:

              TERA Taiwan Reveals New Frost Silver Dragon Weapons


              TERA Taiwan server recently reveals a series of silver dragon weapons and armors, which are white frost shaped.

              Four Games Bringing League of Legends' Gameplay to Mobile

              Posted:

              Four Games Bringing League of Legends' Gameplay to Mobile


              If you're reading this article, we assume you know what a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena game is. If you don't, MOBA is a game genre, based on the acronym Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. It's a action real-time strategy thing that started with StarCraft...

              Dragon Nest KR PvP Ladder 60S Hero Weapons

              Posted:

              Dragon Nest KR PvP Ladder 60S Hero Weapons


              Dragon Nest KR will open Dragon Nest 2.0 update on June 13 and there comes updates on PvP ladder. The images below are about pvp ladder 60s hero weapons.

              Aion NA Released Trailers for 4.0 New Classes and Skills

              Posted:

              Aion NA Released Trailers for 4.0 New Classes and Skills


              If you are a fan of Aion, you must know that two new classes, Gunslinger and Songweaver(at first we called it as "Troubadour" or "Bard") will be added into 4.0 update. Unlike KR server and China server, both classes will be available when Aion 4.0: Dark Betrayal launches on June 26th, 2013!

              Eudemons Online: Get Ready For A Brand New Expansion

              Posted:

              Eudemons Online: Get Ready For A Brand New Expansion


              Following Eudemons Online's 7th Anniversary, TQ Digital will present a brand-new expansion, Dawn of Romance, which will bring the breath of love and romance to EO. It's said that in this brand-new expansion, you are given the ability to have your own Eudemon child to care for and raise!

              Soldier Front 2 Early Access Closed Beta Review

              Posted:

              Soldier Front 2 Early Access Closed Beta Review


              Introduction Now let me begin by saying that these are all personal opinions from a Veteran First Person Shooters point of view =3=. I don't care what your opinions are, if you wanna express them then make your own reviews! :D

              Dragon Nest 2.0 Loading Screen, Saint Heaven and New EX Skills

              Posted:

              Dragon Nest 2.0 Loading Screen, Saint Heaven and New EX Skills


              The following information and screenshots are shared in Duowan forum by an anonymous person.

              Guild Wars 2 Introduces Authorized Shoutcaster Program

              Posted:

              Guild Wars 2 Introduces Authorized Shoutcaster Program


              ArenaNet PvP Community Coordinator Allie Murdock today gives us an Introduction of the Guild Wars 2 authorized shoutcaster program. With the beta release of Custom Arenas and Spectator Mode, huge amount of tournaments spring up; many with great quality shoutcasting.

              NPD: US Gamers Spent $3.5 Billion on Games in Q1 2013

              Posted:

              NPD: US Gamers Spent $3.5 Billion on Games in Q1 2013


              During the first quarter of 2013, players in the United States spent $3.5 billion on video games, according to a new NPD Group report.

              Blade and Soul Skill 2.0 Videos Easy Mode

              Posted:

              Blade and Soul Skill 2.0 Videos Easy Mode


              A lot of players have been uploading videos of the new skill and stuff. The game just totally broke itself?

              Total Pageviews

              statcounter

              View My Stats