General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Windows 8.1 Review

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 05:51 PM PDT

Windows 8.1Windows 8.1: Another year in the oven makes for a tasty piece of meat

Reviewing an update to an operating system feels a little odd, doesn't it? After all, if you already use Windows 8, it's not like you're not going to install Windows 8.1. Sure, there's always the threat of compatibility issues, but Microsoft seems to have this one covered pretty well with the website (and scanning tool) that it's dedicated to the Windows 8.1 update. 

That's not to say the 8.1 update has been perfect—Surface RT tablet owners who tried to jump the gun on a zero-day upgrade were apt to encounter some early blue screens. And users have been plagued by any of the other, typical issues that come with a major update to the OS, including Windows 8 balking at installing the update to begin with. Take, for example, Windows 8.1's lack of cooperation with those who made the foolhardy decision to move their entire \user folders over to a separate drive from Windows itself. Good luck with the update.

At the end of the day, however, an update is usually seen as a step in the right direction. Or, as is often the case with Microsoft, a mix of things that greatly enhance the operating system combined with a few nagging tidbits that make us look forward to the next update. 

So, again, while it feels a bit strange to review an update—especially since Microsoft is now officially cutting off support for Windows 8 in less than two years (October 18, 2015)—it's still important that we take a brief jaunt through all that Windows 8.1 has to offer—or, at least, the major parts you're likely to encounter. 

Windows 8.1 User Interface

Let's start with the biggie. The Start button. A variant of the Start button from operating systems of yesteryear makes its return in Windows 8.1, but really, it's only a tease of a true Start button. 

Windows 8.1's "Start button," if one can really call it that, shows up on the OS's desktop mode. It does not, as its name might imply, present one with a delightfully simple, pop-up menu of one's apps. No, it merely takes you back to Windows 8.1's "metro" Start screen (aka the Modern UI). Ta-da. 

Windows 8.1 right click

We would argue that the right-click functionality of the Start Button is more useful than the left.

You can also have the Start button automatically pull up Windows 8.1's "All Apps" menu via a setting in the Taskbar and Navigation properties, which is itself kind of like the illegitimate child of the Start screen and the Start Menu. Still, a conventional Start Menu, the All Apps view ain't. We somewhat appreciate the effort, but it's just not the same.

On the plus side, Microsoft has boosted the number of options found in Windows 8.1's right-click context menu. Power users will surely appreciate the additional tweaks, including—finally—a means for shutting down one's computer from the desktop itself (if Alt+F4 isn't your thing). 

Windows 8.1 all apps

"All Apps" is just what the name suggests: The hodgepodge of every application (and app!) you've stashed on your PC.

Jumping over to the Start screen for a minute, we love that Microsoft has really cleaned up the look and feel of the tiles. For starters, Windows 8.1—unlike its predecessor—doesn't just slap every single "shortcut" that an application creates upon installation as a new tile on the Start screen, thank God. That which you install gets kicked over to the All Apps view by default, leaving your Start screen pure and pristine. Only the programs that you specifically pin get placed there—and that includes apps you grab from the Windows Store itself. We love, love, love the newly clean Start screen.

Microsoft also brings a few tweaks to tiles themselves. Specifically, you can now uninstall everything that Microsoft's dumped onto your Start screen en masse by right-clicking and group-selecting/uninstalling that which you don't want. For the tiles you want to keep, you can now select between one of four different sizes for each (or change a batch at once)—Weather, for example, will expand to take up four normal tiles' worth of space and dump plenty of information about the forecast right on the front of your Start screen.

uninstall Windows apps

Take that, apps-that-come-with-Windows-8.1.  Mass-uninstalling apps is super-easy in the new operating system update.

 

We also like how Microsoft has enhanced the various customizations one can do to the Start screen. That includes additional backgrounds for prettying up its appearance, as well as the brand-new option that allows one to set identical backgrounds for the desktop and Start screen. The feature, admittedly small, does allow one to create more parity between Windows 8.1's two halves; it's a subtle, but appreciated tweak.

Windows 8.1 personalize

Though we're fans of customizing our desktop with our own background images, we give Microsoft kudos for including some pretty fun-looking default backgrounds.

For the photo-maniacal, Windows 8.1 now lets you set up slideshows on your lock screen if you don't like looking at the same ol', same ol' whenever you go to boot into Windows 8.1. Heck, you can even "boot" into your system's webcam (or included camera) from the lock screen itself. This desktop OS is starting to look more and more mobile by the minute….

Windows 8.1 also gives the lackluster Modern-based PC Settings menu of its predecessor a much-needed kick in the pants. This includes filling it up with plenty of new options to lessen your need to run over to your Control Panel: Take, for example, the new option that allows you to turn Hot Corners on and off (without having to resort to third-party freeware to do so), the specific controls you can put into place regarding Windows 8.1's new search techniques (we'll get to that in a bit), and the brand-new SkyDrive options that you can access from Modern by default (also fodder for later). 

Windows 8.1 PC settings

We're still waiting for the day when Microsoft stashes all Windows system controls on its Modern UI and desktop interfaces.

We still do wish that all of your system's settings were unified regardless of where you go to edit them—the Start screen or the desktop's Control Panel. 

Windows 8.1 Bing

Bing, Bing everywhere, and plenty of search results to drink.

Click the next page to read about Windows 8.1 search improvements.  


Windows 8.1 Search

Here we go. One of the major "improvements" Microsoft has made to Windows 8.1 includes a complete reworking of the operating system's core search functionality. Before, it was a bit of a convoluted mess —you'd start typing in Modern and, once entered a good enough number of letters to describe what you were looking for, you'd have to select what, exactly, you were trying to find: an app? A system setting? File? Some kind of data within an individual Windows 8 app?

Too much clicking. Yuck.

Microsoft goes a bit to the other extreme, however, in Windows 8.1. Now, when you start typing in the operating system's Start screen, you get a default search of everything on your hard drive, period. That includes files, Windows settings and options, and, as a special bonus, an ever-present web search courtesy of Windows 8.1's integration with Microsoft's Bing search engine.

We appreciate the gesture, but note that not every time we type in "Diablo" are we really keen on seeing a web search related to the Lord of Terror. Sure, you can flick off the web-based search option within Windows 8.1's aforementioned preferences. But sometimes we do like having a web search attached to our search. Damned if you do, damned if you don't; at the very least, it would have been pleasant if Microsoft allowed other search engines to populate its web search, but we suppose that's a request of the "pigs can fly" variety.

All in all, we like the new search if for nothing else than the reduction to the number of clicks a user must perform when trying to find something. The trade-off, however, is that you can no longer search through the specific parts of apps by default—for example, you aren't able to search through your email by simply typing on the Start screen. You now have to load the Mail application and perform a specific search within that in order to find, say, an Amazon receipt.

Close, but not quite, Microsoft.

windows 8.1 skydrive

Skydrive might look fairly simple, almost Dropbox-like, in its File Explorer integration, but there's more to this cloud service than meets the eye.

Windows 8.1 SkyDrive integration

We confess, we aren't big users of Microsoft's cloud service, but we do appreciate how easy Microsoft has made its SkyDrive integration in Windows 8's big update. Take, for example, the fact that SkyDrive is now integrated directly within File Explorer (once you've attached your account to the operating system, that is). Like Dropbox, dragging and dropping things back and forth between the cloud and your local desktop is quite simple—the same kind of convenience you might have enjoyed had you, say, installed the SkyDrive desktop app on Windows 8. 

That said, SkyDrive isn't quite like Dropbox. For example, Microsoft has ingeniously built a fun little twist on synchronization into SkyDrive, whereby files are only loaded to your desktop— assuming you have an online connection to the net—when you want them. Sure, you get the icon and file details to suggest that the file, itself, is actually there every time you go to click it. Only, it isn't. Not unless you've set it, or its containing folder, to always be available to your system if/when your system's offline.

This "placeholder file" system, as explained by Microsoft, creates ghost files that "look and feel like normal folders and files. You can tap or click a folder and see all the folders and files inside it. You can tap or click a file and it will open, you can edit it and close it. You can move, delete, copy, or rename placeholder files just like you would any folder or file. But [it] only downloads the full file when you access it."

Desktop users might not care much about disk space or bandwidth, but we definitely see the usefulness for those using SkyDrive access on, say, their laptops or tablets. Assuming that you don't have a ton of stuff that will quickly fill up SkyDrive's 7GB of free space per user, you can even set the OS to save your documents, photos, and files to the cloud by default. 

Windows 8.1 skydrive space

On the plus side, Microsoft makes it fairly easy for you to see how much Skydrive space you're using (and, of course, you can quickly buy more).

That all said, SkyDrive's closer integration with the OS—including all those fun settings you can synchronize to your Microsoft Account, should you wish to tap into your version of your OS on another piece of hardware—do come with a bit of a price. For starters, the SkyDrive Modern app is still nowhere near as useful for non-touch-friendly users as is the standard drag-and-drop integration within File Explorer itself (Windows 8.1 still can't escape its need to cater to the finger-poking crowd). 

Secondly, Microsoft's tighter integration of SkyDrive costs you one of its more useful features—Fetch, or the ability that users previously had to tap into the full drive architecture of their SkyDrive-connected systems to grab any file on the desktop they wanted. It was akin to a having a permanent network tunnel to one's connected systems, and one that was as ideal for grabbing files as Google's Remote Desktop app is for controlling one's system from afar. Alas, Microsoft kills off this helpful feature in Windows 8.1. You can still use a Windows 8.1 system to grab files from a non-Windows 8.1 PC, but Windows 8.1 systems cannot have their files grabbed from. 

Windows 8.1's new Windows Store

A quick note on the Windows Store, as we'd have a bit of egg on our face if we didn't mention the major updates to a part of Windows 8 that felt utterly lackluster at the operating system's launch. While Apple and Google still win the day with the usefulness of their respective app stores, Microsoft has at least put noticeable effort into making its store more practical, more browse-able, and just all-around more user-friendly.

Windows Store

Hooray for a revamped Windows Store. Bring on the apps!

Loading the Modern app brings up the same ol' familiar (and horribly horizontal-scrolling) interface one should be used to by now. However, Microsoft puts its app recommendations front-and-center, in addition to lists of trending apps, new apps, and the much-anticipated listing of top apps by price (free or paid). That's much, much better than the crappy, categorical scrolling of Windows 8, in which it was extraordinarily annoying to sift through all in a pathetic attempt to find out what apps were worth a cursory look or installation.

Even better, right-clicking anywhere within the Windows Store app summons forth a topmost bar that's filled with the aforementioned categories, should you now wish to peruse through specific chunks of apps. Each category gets its own trending, new, and top free/paid listing of apps, and the entire process is much easier to navigate than what was previously seen on Windows 8. Kudos to Microsoft for the changes; now how about getting to work on offering some popular apps? (Instagram, anyone?)

Overall Windows 8.1 Impressions

At the end of the day, Windows 8.1 is still Windows 8, with a little bit of pizzazz tacked on to it. If you didn't like "Modern" before, there's nothing dramatic in Microsoft's first major update that's going to turn you into a tile aficionado. 

We can't help but feel as though we're sitting in a barrel stuck on the edge of a waterfall; that Microsoft is but one, tiny push away from giving users everything they've asked for (namely, a more explicit Windows 7 / Windows 8 split). We're so close already—even that new little Start button in Windows 8.1, while somewhat pitiful, is a ray of hope.

We're being a bit overdramatic, of course, as we do generally appreciate all the tweaks that Microsoft has brought to the table in Windows 8.1. While they mainly center on personalization, customization, and one's core experience with the operating system, the updated search features and SkyDrive integration—for those who use it—are welcome additions. 

Modern-based system settings are less of a pain in the butt (but could be further improved), and some of the other tweaks are still only really applicable to hardcore finger-tappers, like Microsoft's improved split-screen treatment for its Modern apps.

And that's really the core of it: Windows 8.1 is good, sure. If you're running Windows 8, you really don't have much of a reason not to upgrade. If you're still a Windows 7 user stuck on the fence, it's a little trickier. 

Windows 8.1 is certainly more compelling of an experience than the now seemingly forgotten Windows 8. However, you're still going to face off against a tablet experience packed into a desktop operating system. Modern apps, while improved, will still lack the power-user conventions (and speed) of their desktop-based counterparts. For desktop users, your standard monitor will be of little use for Windows 8.1's touchscreen-themed tweaks. You'll wonder why your system's settings are split between two different environments. The list goes on.

Should you give Windows 8.1 a go? Given that it doesn't look like Microsoft is going to give us a 100 percent desktop-centric Windows moving forward, you're going to have to take the new OS plunge sometime; Windows 8.1 makes the water just a little bit warmer.

Column: The Future of Self Driving Cars

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 03:13 PM PDT

irobot self driving carThe Driverless Horseless Carriage

You gotta love technology. Every solution seems to cause a new problem, which then inspires another solution, which causes yet another problem. I'd conclude that engineers are as skillful as lawyers at perpetuating their own profession, except I don't want to insult the engineers.

Consider text messaging. It's a great solution for people too busy to answer email or make phone calls, but it's yet another distraction for drivers who are too busy to watch the road. Google's solution? Self-driving cars.

self driving car

Google has made surprising progress on this difficult challenge. The company's self-driving cars are frequently seen plying the streets and highways of Silicon Valley and other locales. (California is one of three states to legalize these experiments, as long as the robotic cars have human drivers who can intervene.) Semiconductor companies are eagerly watching this progress, because autonomous autos need more processing horsepower to harness their internal-combustion horsepower. Already, conventional cars have upward of 100 microprocessors supervising everything from engine control to infotainment systems.

Auto industry experts tell me the main obstacles are no longer technical. One roadblock is legal: Who is liable if a self-driving car causes an accident? Another is psychological: Will people familiar with the Blue Screen of Death on their PCs ever entrust their lives to a computer-controlled car?

On the second question, I have two theories. Although young people are usually the early adopters of new technologies, I think the elderly will lead the way this time. As their driving skills fade, they will welcome robotic cars that prolong their mobility and independence.

For everyone else, I predict that private-sector regulation will dictate the adoption curve. When (not if) robotic cars establish a superior safety record, insurance companies will begin hiking premiums for human drivers. Eventually, most of us will be priced out of the driver's seat.

LG's Curvaceous G Flex Smartphone Fits Your Face, Heals Itself

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 02:46 PM PDT

LG G FlexA smartphone with curves

Is the era of flat smartphones coming to an end? Probably not, though we do expect an influx of handsets with curved screens. One of those devices is the LG G Flex, supposedly the first device to offer a 6-inch curved display to follow the contour of the face. To complement the curved design, LG said it built a new user experience to take advantage of the form factor's unique features.

"The LG G Flex is the best representation yet of how a smartphone should be curved," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "The LG G Flex with its distinctive design, innovative hardware and consumer-centric UX represents the most significant development in the smartphone space since smartphone became part of our regular vocabulary."

According to LG, the vertically curved design of the G Flex reduces the distance between a user's mouth to the microphone when it's held against the ear, similar in concept to the arch design of old telephones. In doing so, the G Flex should, in theory, offer superior voice and sound quality, as well as increase the sound level by a full 3dB compared to typical flat smartphones.

In landscape mode, LG says the G Flex offers a similar viewing experience as that of an IMAX theater.

LG G Flex Angled

Another unique feature is a "Self Healing" coating on the back cover. LG says the elastic coating can recover from scratches and dings from daily use, keeping the G Flex looking newer for longer.

As for specifications, the G Flex boasts a 6-inch HD curved P-OLED display (1280x720), 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, Adreno 330 GPU, 2GB DDR3 RAM, 32GB eMMC, 2.1MP front-facing camera, 13MP rear-facing camera, USB 3.0, NFC, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, 3,500 mAh battery (non-removable), and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

The LG G Flex will be available in Korea next month. No word on price or when/if it will be available in the U.S.

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Nvidia announces GTX 780 Ti launch date & price, Shield update, and 780/770 price cuts

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 11:47 AM PDT

GTX 780 TiRelease dates, price drops, updates, and more

The GeForce GTX 780 Ti will be available on Nov. 7 at $699 as part of Nvidia's "The Way It's Meant to be Played Holiday Bundle with Shield" promotion. Starting tomorrow, the GTX 780 will drop to $499 and the GTX 770 will drop to $329.  Buy a 780 Ti, 780, or 770 and you'll get Batman: Arkham Origins, Splinter Cell: Blacklist and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag for free. You'll also get a $100 coupon towards the Shield.

Nvidia has also launched GeForce Experience 1.7 which introduces GeForce ShadowPlay, Nvidia's attempt at a gameplay recorder. The promises include minimal impact on in-game framerates and built-in H.264 encoding. Similar to the features provided by the next gen consoles, ShadowPlay can also be configured to constantly record all of your gameplay, automatically saving 10-20 minutes of 1080p footage to a temporary file that you can permanently save at a whim. One curious complication is the twenty minute limit for continuous footage. The update also includes optimal settings for 4K resolutions in supported games, the 1.0 release of GameStream, and the Geforce GTX LED Visualizer which lets you control the LEDs on certain Nvidia GPUs. 

As if all of this wasn't enough, Nvidia has also updated the Shield with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. New features include Console Mode which lets you pair a controller with the Shield, "turning it into a living room game console," and the ability to create custom controls for Android games. 

Follow Ben on Twitter.

Nvidia GeForce R331.65 "Game Ready" Driver Now Available to Download

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 09:24 AM PDT

GeForce GTX TitanNew drivers boost performance up to 19 percent

Suffering from a severe case of the Mondays? Should you decided to blow off work and get in some extended game time instead, you can boost your GeForce graphics card's performance in a handful of titles by downloading newly available drivers. Nvidia just released its GeForce R331 Game Ready driver (331.65), which is WHQL certified. Double digit percentage performance gains are there for the taking in select titles.

The biggest bump in performance applies to Sniper Elite V2, in which installing the new driver on a GeForce GTX 690, 770, 780, or Titan graphics card yields a 19 percent improvement. Here are some other examples Nvidia provided:

  • Dirt: Showdown - up to 13 percent
  • Battlefield 4 - up to 12 percent
  • Metro: Last Light - up to 9 percent
  • Sleeping Dogs - up to 9 percent
  • Max Payne 3 - up to 8 percent
  • F1 - up to 6 percent

Nvidia also added and/or updated several SLI profiles, added support for 4K Surround, enabled GeForce ShadowPlay technology, and enabled GameStream technology.

You can grab the new driver direct from Nvidia.

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Samsung Dual-Mode ’Galaxy Tab 3 Kids’ Isn't Just Child's Play

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 09:02 AM PDT

Galaxy Tab 3 Kids

A tablet for kids and adults

Samsung kicked off the week by introducing the Galaxy Tab 3 Kids, a tablet intended for both parents and kids alike. It features dual operating modes, including a special Kids mode with a bright, colorful display and a user interface that's intuitive and easy to navigate, and a Standard mode so that adults can use the 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 as it was originally intended.

Parental controls are included, as are educational and entertainment apps, and other unique content just for kids. There's actually a fair bit of pre-loaded content, including apps like Toca Train, Wipeout, Fruit Ninja, Disney's Toy Story, Smart It!, Learn ABC and 123s, Dolphin Reader, Kids Planet Discovery,a nd more.

"Today's kids are incredibly tech-savvy and regularly use technology at home, at school and on-the-go," said Nanda Ramachandran, vice president of emerging business, Samsung Mobile." Studies* show that 70 percent of tablet owners share their tablets with their children. The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids is engaging, encourages learning and fosters creativity in a safe environment that parents can easily manage."

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids Angled

While Samsung didn't confirm the specs, this is basically a Galaxy Tab 3 wrapped in a colorful, kid friendly case to protect it from drops and temper tantrums.

The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids will be available to pre-order beginning November 1 and in stores November 10 for $230. A hard case bundle will be available for $250.

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Origin PC's EON17-SLX Features Haswell and Dual GTX 780M Option for Gamers with Deep Pockets

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 06:57 AM PDT

EON17-SLXThe definition of desktop replacement

We've seen some thin and light gaming laptops come through the pipeline in recent weeks, but on the other end of the spectrum are full fledged desktop replacements that bring the bulk. Once such system is Origin PC's new EON17-SLX, an unapologetically big and burly system that wields up to two Nvidia GeForce GTX 780M GPUs. Such a luxury costs a pretty penny, though a single GPU setup starts at $1,999.

A baseline configuration boasts a 17.3-inch display with a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) resolution, Intel Core i7 4700MQ processor, 4GB of DDR3-1333 memory, Nvidia GeForce GTX 765M (2GB), 320GB hard drive (7200 RPM, 16MB cache, SATA 3Gbps), 8X DVD burner, backlit keyboard with three lighting zones and seven color options, HD audio powered by Sound Blaster FXi, 802.11n Wi-Fi, USB 3.0 ports, media card reader, webcam, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, and a few other odds and ends.

That's a decent foundation, though if you have the funds and can justify spending a fortune on a gaming laptop, there are plenty of upgrade options at every turn, including room for up to five storage drives (with dual mSATA RAID support).

Origin PC's EON17-SLX is available now.

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Newegg Daily Deals: Corsair Vengeance 8GB 1600MHz Low Profile RAM, AMD A10-6800K, and More!

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 06:08 AM PDT

Corsair Vengeance RAMnewegg logo

Top Deal:

Are you worried that the ginormous cooler you just purchased for your new build might bump into your RAM? There's a solution for that -- low profile modules! Want performance, too? Check out today's top deal for a Corsair Vengeance 8GB DDR3-1600 Low Profile Memory Kit for $75 with free shipping (normally $90 - use coupon code EMCWXVR39). There modules are tightly timed at 9-9-9-24, use cherry picked ICs, and are great choices when you need high performance and low clearance.

Other Deals:

Asus Rampage IV Extreme LGA 2011 Intel X79 Extended ATX Intel Motherboard for $410 with free shipping (normally $420 - use coupon code: [EMCWXVR33])

Intel Core i5-4670K Haswell 3.4GHz LGA 1150 84W Quad-Core Desktop Processor for $220 with free shipping (normally $240 - use coupon code: [EMCWXVR23])

ASRock Z87 Extreme6 LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard for $165 with free shipping (normally $175 - use coupon code: [EMCWXVR34]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate)

AMD A10-6800K Richland 4.1GHz (4.4GHz Turbo) Socket FM2 100W Quad-Core Desktop Processor for $130 with free shipping (normally $140 - use coupon code: [EMCWXVR28])

Nvidia Announces Shield Gamepad Mapper

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 06:00 AM PDT

New Android 4.3 update will introduce console mode, Gamepad Mapper, and allow you to install apps to your Shield's MicroSD card

We liked Nvidia's Shield gaming handheld system when we reviewed it back in August but one of its glaring flaws is that only a little over 100 Android games supported its controller (most of them were touch-based). Nvidia is attempting to fix that issue with an upcoming over-the-air update that will include what the green team is calling the Shield Gamepad Mapper. This new feature will allow users to manually map touch-controls to the Shield's physical buttons via a drag-and-drop system. Furthermore, users will be able to save these profiles to the cloud and will also be able to download other user-made profiles from the community. Nvidia says the Gamepad Mapper will expand controller support from about 140 Android games to thousands of titles.

Nvidia Shield gamepad mapper

With the Shield Gamepad Mapper, you'll be able to play many more Android games with the Shield's controller.

That isn't the only new feature that will come with the OTA update, however. Nvidia also revealed that Android 4.3 will also roll out with it (Currently, the Shield is running Android Jelly Bean 4.2.1). In addition, this update will also enable Shield's console mode, which Nvidia revealed last week at its Montreal event, and allow you to install games and apps to your Shield's external MicroSD card (provided they are either APK and OBB files).    

Nvidia Shield update

The upcoming Shield update will include Android 4.3, the Gamepad Mapper, and enable Shield's console mode.

While there isn't an official date for when Shield owners can expect to receive this update just yet, Nvidia did say it's coming "soon." If you're interested in purchasing the Shield but don't have a Kepler-based GPU to take advantage of its PC streaming feature, Nvidia is offering a holiday bundle that nets you some free games along with some discount options on the device. 

Have you tried the Shield? Are you interested in picking it up? Let us know in the comments below!

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Chaos Theory: Nine reasons The Secret World is the industry's best storyteller

Posted: 28 Oct 2013 10:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , ,

Chaos Theory Ten reasons why The Secret World is the industry's best storyteller
Contrary to what I sometimes see in the MMO community, I am a huge believer in games telling stories. If a game lets me create my own story, great, but even better are developers who know how to spin a good yarn and involve me in the process. That's why I've loved adventure and role-playing games throughout the decades, and it's why The Secret World has remained one of my top MMOs since it launched.

I don't have a problem saying that I think The Secret World is currently the industry's best storyteller. If you want to take a cheap shot, you can insert some snide remark about rote quest text boxes in the comments, but I think that there's a lot of solid writing and storytelling across the MMO spectrum right now. It's just that TSW does it better.

Why? What's going on here to make stories and characters that just stick in my head long after my brain has cycled other MMO's events to deep storage? I started writing a list and had a hard time stopping at just nine.

Continue reading Chaos Theory: Nine reasons The Secret World is the industry's best storyteller

MassivelyChaos Theory: Nine reasons The Secret World is the industry's best storyteller originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Browser-based Blood and Jade opens beta doors

    Posted: 28 Oct 2013 09:00 AM PDT

    Filed under: , , , , ,

    Browser-based Blood and Jade opend beta doors
    Although browser-based Blood and Jade just barely kicked off alpha testing two weeks ago, the free-to-play game is already powering ahead into open beta testing. Starting today, players can get access to the Xianyang server and discover the drama of the Warring States for themselves by signing up on the official site.

    In Blood and Jade, players determine the fate of ancient China by becoming a master of martial arts, armed with ancient relics and accompanied by legendary Goddesses, and battling the forces of evil. Additionally, guilds can fight for territory and even ascend to the Imperial throne if they prove strong enough.

    [Source: R2Games press release]

    MassivelyBrowser-based Blood and Jade opens beta doors originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Oct 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Watch live WildStar gameplay in pilot of new livestream series

      Posted: 28 Oct 2013 08:00 AM PDT

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      Watch live WildStar gameplay in pilot of new livestream series
      In this day and age, seeing is still believing, so the more game footage we can see, the better! And WildStar delivered just that, displaying live gameplay in a stealthy livestream yesterday. Without any advanced notice or advertisement, Carbine Studios aired the pilot episode of a new livestream series aimed at showing off the upcoming game.

      In this premiere, Game Design Producer Stephan Frost and Senior Community Manager David Bass took turns playing through some content, including demonstrating the combat system and environmental hazards, all while answering viewer questions in chat. Although there are no big reveals in this particular episode, the hosts hinted that those could be incoming as the livestreams continue. If you want to catch all the WildStar action and get plenty of gameplay hints, watch the full episode embedded below.

      [Thanks to Paul for the tip!]

      Continue reading Watch live WildStar gameplay in pilot of new livestream series

      MassivelyWatch live WildStar gameplay in pilot of new livestream series originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Oct 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Stream Team: Fright Night sing-a-long edition, October 28 - November 3, 2013

      Posted: 28 Oct 2013 07:00 AM PDT

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      The Stream Team Fright Night singalong edition, October 28  November 3, 2013
      Creepy crawlies and ghoulish goblins: Without a doubt, this week harbors the most spooktacular day of the year! So get in on the celebration and join with your favorite streamers in singing this new Halloween carol. (Why should that other holiday get all the fun?)

      It's the most wonderful time of the year
      With kids trick-or-treating
      And everyone scaring you; be full of fear
      It's the most wonderful time of the year!


      It's the hap, happiest season of all
      With those costumes to try on and candy to gorge on
      And Stream Team to watch
      It's the hap, happiest season of all!


      There'll be streamers all hosting
      Many streams that are boasting
      Halloween events for their shows
      There'll be scary ghost stories
      told in their full glory on
      Massively TV (see below!)

      Continue reading The Stream Team: Fright Night sing-a-long edition, October 28 - November 3, 2013

      MassivelyThe Stream Team: Fright Night sing-a-long edition, October 28 - November 3, 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        RIFT and Defiance throw in-game promotions

        Posted: 28 Oct 2013 06:30 AM PDT

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        RIFT and Defiance throw ingame promotions
        Trion is in the middle of a special promotion that's giving a serious boost to both RIFT and Defiance players in-game.

        In RIFT all players are receiving 20% boosts to all types of XP and currency gained, and this bonus is stackable with other boosts. Trion's also selling 160% XP potions and raid 1 rings in the store. Over on Defiance's side, players are enjoying 25% boosts to loot, XP, and weapon skill. Epic mod hoards have also made their way to the store.

        These promotions will continue through Friday, November 1st. Trion is throwing this "PC Gaming Week" to celebrate RIFT's return to Steam.

        MassivelyRIFT and Defiance throw in-game promotions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Oct 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: Do you want crowdfunding to succeed?

        Posted: 28 Oct 2013 06:00 AM PDT

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        The Daily Grind - Do you want crowdfunding to succeed?
        Star Citizen passed the $25 million milestone in its ongoing crowdfunding campaign over the weekend. While this is cause for celebration for backers, the devs at Cloud Imperium Games, and really anyone who wants to see more options, specialization, and high quality core titles in the gaming industry, the space sim sandbox has also generated a backlash of sorts.

        Just about every SC-related article we publish features a handful of comments that are highly skeptical of CIG's ability to deliver on its stated goals. There are also a few vocal people who seemingly want to see the game fail for the lulz. Now, this could be nothing more than the usual trolling that accompanies every highly anticipated title. But it could be something more, and so today we ask you if you actually want crowdfunding in general to succeed? If not, why not?

        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 want crowdfunding to succeed? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Oct 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          MMO Week in Review: West vs. East

          Posted: 27 Oct 2013 06:00 PM PDT

          Filed under: , ,

          RIFT
          At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post.

          Both RIFT and City of Steam announced sunsets-but-not-quite this week. The English-language version of City of Steam is shuttering next month, but take heart: It's been reacquired by its original studio in China and will relaunch with major gameplay revisions as City of Steam: Arkadia. And RIFT, fresh from an apparently nasty duel with its Russian operating partner, shut down abruptly in that country, though RIFT EU continues to welcome refugee players.

          Read on for a look at the rest of this week's top MMO stories.

          Continue reading MMO Week in Review: West vs. East

          MassivelyMMO Week in Review: West vs. East originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Oct 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            EVE Evolved: Merging Valkyrie with EVE Online

            Posted: 27 Oct 2013 04:00 PM PDT

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            Game title image
            Ever since its release in 2003, EVE Online has been bombarded with requests for direct flight controls and dogfighter-style gameplay. Most ships in EVE are huge lumbering hulks compared to real-world aircraft, more akin to large sea-faring ships than nimble jetfighters. Even tiny agile Interceptors can't be controlled directly, instead having the player issue commands to fly in a particular direction or move toward or orbit an object. As a result, combat in EVE has become much more heavily about the strategy of directing fleets of dozens or hundreds of ships than any kind of piloting skill or twitch control.

            This year's EVE Fanfest gave players a glimpse into the world of immersive twitch combat with the announcement of a new dogfighting game set in the EVE Online universe. Originally starting out as an virtual reality experiment by a few developers in their spare time, EVE Valkyrie has now become a full game in its own right and an example of what's possible with the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. It was always assumed that Valkyrie was an EVE game in name and theme only, but recently developers have revealed that they'd like it to tie into the actual EVE Online universe itself.

            In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at recently revealed information on EVE Valkyrie and speculate on how it could be integrated into the EVE universe.

            Continue reading EVE Evolved: Merging Valkyrie with EVE Online

            MassivelyEVE Evolved: Merging Valkyrie with EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Oct 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              MMORPG News

              MMORPG News


              Rift: Week Long Promotion Gives Players Big Bonuses

              Posted: 28 Oct 2013 07:49 AM PDT

              Week Long Promotion Gives Players Big Bonuses

              Both Rift and Defiance players will want to check into the games this week as Trion is celebrating Games Week. The promotions are in celebration of Rift's return to Steam and it's the players who benefit.

              Guild Wars 2: Tower of Nightmares - Waiting to Catch Us Napping?

              Posted: 27 Oct 2013 04:34 PM PDT

              Tower of Nightmares - Waiting to Catch Us Napping?

              Last week, ArenaNet announced the title of the next Guild Wars 2 update: Tower of Nightmares. Seemingly just in time for Halloween, we have a few speculative thoughts to share about what we might see in Tower of Nightmares. See if you agree before leaving your thoughts in the comments.

              Bless: Five Class Game Play Videos Surface

              Posted: 28 Oct 2013 06:32 AM PDT

              Five Class Game Play Videos Surface

              Neowiz has released five new game play videos from its upcoming MMO, Bless. The Guardian, Assassin, Mage, Berserker and Ranger are all featured in very short, but intense, videos. Check out the Ranger below, then head to the MMORPG.com YouTube channel to see the rest!

              Star Citizen: What To Do with $25 Million?

              Posted: 28 Oct 2013 04:28 AM PDT

              What To Do with $25 Million?

              Star Citizen has reportedly cruised over the twenty five million dollar mark in its crowd-funding campaign, according to a letter posted on the official site by Chris Roberts. The game originally met its funding goal over a year ago, but fans have continued to contribute to help the game reach this astonishing number.

              Neverwinter: Masquerade of Liars Festival Coming Next Week

              Posted: 25 Oct 2013 04:57 PM PDT

              Masquerade of Liars Festival Coming Next Week

              Perfect World and Cryptic Studios have tons of great Halloween happenings for all Neverwinter players with the arrival of the Masquerade of Liars Festival. Valindra Shadowmantle isn't about to let this opportunity pass up to give some thrills and chills to NW players.

              The Secret World: As If TSW Isn't Spooky Enough!

              Posted: 25 Oct 2013 04:49 PM PDT

              As If TSW Isn

              As if The Secret World isn't spooky enough with Kingsmouth and conspiracy theories and more, the team has cooked up a great Halloween event sure to give players thrills and chills for the season.

              Space Heroes Universe: Ghoulish Delights and Halloween Fun

              Posted: 25 Oct 2013 04:44 PM PDT

              Ghoulish Delights and Halloween Fun

              Space Heroes Universe players have lots of spooky tricks and treats to check out in the game with the arrival of this year's Halloween celebration.

              Lineage 2: Forget Halloween, Let's Do Aleoween!

              Posted: 25 Oct 2013 04:40 PM PDT

              Forget Halloween, Let

              The Queen of Hearts has arrived in Lineage II and has brought her best beer recipe for this year's Aleoween Festival. Lineage II players won't want to miss this one!

              Aion: Nightmare Circus Event Now Live

              Posted: 25 Oct 2013 04:36 PM PDT

              Nightmare Circus Event Now Live

              Aion players have a lot to do during this festive time of year. In the Nightmare Circus content, players are charged to save Yume and unlock treasures at the Nightmare Circus.

              Digimon Masters Online: Pumpkinmon Needs Your Help

              Posted: 25 Oct 2013 04:18 PM PDT

              Pumpkinmon Needs Your Help

              Digimon Masters players need to hop into the game to check out the Halloween happenings. Pumpkinmon has put out a call for help during this month-long event.

              General: Perfect World Entertainment's Halloween Round Up

              Posted: 25 Oct 2013 04:54 PM PDT

              Perfect World Entertainment

              Fan of a Perfect World Entertainment title? If so, you won't want to miss this year's Halloween events ongoing in all MMOs in the PWE stable.

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