General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Steam Removes a Defunct Game From User Libraries

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:42 PM PST

Order of War: ChallengeThis is an apparent first for Steam

We (along with several other news outlets) missed this when it first happened, but apparently Valve did something back in September that it has never done before. After shutting down the multiplayer servers for Square Enix's Order of War: Challenge due to low traffic, Valve then went and yanked the game from user libraries on Steam of those who had purchased a copy. To the best of our knowledge, it's the first and only time Valve has done such a thing.

That's not to say Valve has never removed a game from Steam's store front, but in cases in which it has, purchased copies have always remained in user libraries. In this case, however, by shutting down multiplayer servers, users were left with no way to play the game.

Forbes, which picked up on the story courtesy of a Reddit post, notes that the game has 18 single-player campaigns to play through, but since Square Enix implemented an always-on DRM scheme and than abandoned the title, even that portion of the game remained unplayable.

Order of War: Challenge was never hugely popular to begin with, but still managed to spark a debate over whether or not Steam should have removed the title altogether. If nothing else, it's a reminder that you don't actually own games purchased through Steam -- you're granted a license to use them, and nothing more.

"The game was multiplayer only and the developer is now no longer hosting servers. However user's are complaining that it was removed because they were still able to play the game using tunneling software, such as Hamachi etc., in order to create online LAN-like environments. Now this is no longer possible, since they instead just removed the game entirely," Reddit user 'tsstssk' points out.

As 2013 comes to a close, let that be a reminder that we still live in a DRM-ruled world where it's anything but cut and dry.

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Netflix Tests $6.99 Standard Definition Single Screen Plan

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:45 PM PST

Netflix MobileA money saving plan for bachelors

Some users who sign up for Netflix will see a new $6.99 per month plan that limits streaming to one screen at a time. That's a dollar off the regular subscription fee of $7.99 per month, which Netflix now states will allow streaming on up to two screens at a time. Yet a third option is to pay $11.99 per month for the ability to watch streaming content on as many as four screens at the same time, a tier that could come in handy for families.

Reports around the web say Netflix is testing the discounted $6.99 plan to select users. In addition to limiting streams to a single device at any given moment, users who opt for the entry-level subscription will also be limited to standard definition (SD) streams. Both the $7.99 and $11.99 plans include high definition (HD) viewing.

The SD limitation will be a deal killer for some, though at the same time, it might attract users who plan to only watch Netflix on smartphones and even tablets with lower resolution displays. For those users, it's not a bad option.

Netflix Plans

According to Variety, Netflix is also testing a $9.99 monthly option that would allow for up to three HD streams at the same time, though we didn't see that option when registering for a new account. Netflix says not everyone will see every option it's testing, and that some of these plans "may not be something we ever offer generally."

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NSA Reportedly Hijacks PCs to Install Spyware, Has Backdoor Access to iPhones

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 08:39 AM PST

iPhone 5SNothing is out of bounds

By far the biggest revelation of 2013 was that of the U.S. government's overreaching National Security Agency (NSA) and its PRISM surveillance program. Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the government's ability to spy on various forms of communication by leaking several documents to the press, and since doing so, new information keeps coming out. One of the most recent reports claims the NSA routinely intercepts computer deliveries in order to exploit vulnerabilities to aid with spying.

Citing a German magazine, The Washington Post reports that a division of the NSA known as Tailored Access Operations (TAO) specializing in intercepting data from tough targets, or "getting the ungettable." TAO has access to all kinds of goods to help do that, such as computer monitor cables designed to record what's being typed across the screen, fake base stations that intercept mobile phone signals, and the list goes on.

Planting these items sometimes involves intercepting computer pacakges, according to the report. In addition, TAO also installs spyware in order to track and spy on specific targets. According to one document, intercepting computer equipment ranks as one of the NSA's "most productive operations."

A related report in The Daily Dot that cites the same German magazine says the NSA can also snoop on almost every communication sent from an iPhone. According to the report, leaked documents reveal the NSA plants spyware on iOS devices with a 100 percent success rate. It's part of a program called DROPOUTJEEP and it allows the NSA to read SMS messages, access contact lists, locate a phone using cell tower data, and activate the device's microphone and camera.

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AMD Delays Battlefield 4 Mantle Patch Until January

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 07:10 AM PST

Battlefield 4A Mantle patch is coming, but bug stomping takes top priority

AMD anticipated Battlefield 4 (BF4) being the first PC title to support its new Mantle API via a patch that was supposed to be made available before the end of the month. As it stands, BF4 will still be the first Mantle-optimized title, but the promised patch won't debut until sometime next month. Word from those in the trenches is that fixing various bugs in BF4 is taking a bit longer than expected.

"After much consideration, the decision was made to delay the Mantle patch for Battlefield 4," EA told SemiAccurate. "AMD continues to support DICE on the public introduction of Mantle, and we are tremendously excited about the coming release for Battlefield 4! We are now targeting a January release and will have more information to share in the New Year."

Mantle is expected to improve the look and performance of BF4, though EA wants to ensure a stable game experience before tacking on new stuff. AMD confirmed this was the case in a statement provided to Polygon, telling the gaming news site, "The cause of the delay is due to EA's recent decision to halt game development in favor of bug stomping."

AMD's confirmation echoes a statement EA made to the press a month ago in which the publisher said it would not take on additional projects or expansions "until we sort out all the issues with Battlefield 4."

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Newegg Daily Deals: Thermaltake Tough Power 750W PSU, Intel Core i3 3240, and More!

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 06:16 AM PST

Thermaltake Toughpower 750Wnewegg logo

Top Deal:

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that generic 350W power supply that came with your case is probably going to run out of gas (figuratively -- don't pour gas in your PC) trying to run your dream machine configuration. You're going to need something beefier and more efficient to power a high-end system. But like we said, we don't enjoy delivering bad news, so the good news is that today's top deal is for a Thermaltake Tough Power TP-750P 750W Power Supply for $70 with free shipping (normally $150; additional $10 mail-in-rebate). This PSU delivers 60A across a the +12V rail, is SLI and Crossfire ready, and 80 Plus Gold certified.

Other Deals:

Intel Core i3-3240 Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz LGA 1155 55W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2500 BX80637i33240 for $110 with free shipping (normally $120; use coupon code: [EMCWVVN24])

Western Digital WD Green WD10EZRX 1TB IntelliPower SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive - OEM for $60 with free shipping (normally $70; use coupon code: [EMCWVVN25])

G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model F3-17000CL11D-8GBSR for $74 with free shipping (normally $82; use coupon code: [EMCWVVN28])

Asus VN248H-P Super Narrow Bezel Black 23.8-inch 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor IPS 80,000,000:1 Built-in Speakers for $180 (normally $230; use coupon code: [EMCWVVN42]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate)

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Bridging the gap between casual and pro at the Chicago Dota 2 Winter Open

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 09:00 AM PST

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Dota 2 Open
At Ignite Gaming Lounge in Chicago, Illinois, the crowd is losing its mind. It's grand finals of the Chicago Dota 2 Winter Open, a two-day, double-elimination, 16-team throwdown, and for some reason someone has just picked Meepo. For those of you who aren't in the Dota 2 loop, suffice to say that Meepo isn't a standard hero pick for a tournament. Picking Meepo in a match with $1,000 on the line is a lot like jumping out of a plane and wishing for a parachute -- an incredible, amazing story if it works and an embarrassing, painful death if it doesn't, with the odds heavily on the latter.

The announcers, broadcasting the match simultaneously on Dota TV (Dota 2's in-game spectating client) and Twitch, are dumbfounded. The chat channels are exploding. And as everyone witnesses the Meepo gamble pay off in the most incredible way, the excitement only expands and intensifies. But perhaps what's most special about this Meepo pick, about this final game between two local teams that have bested challenger after challenger, is not the risky strategy or the money on the line.

What's special is that anyone is watching it at all.

Continue reading Bridging the gap between casual and pro at the Chicago Dota 2 Winter Open

MassivelyBridging the gap between casual and pro at the Chicago Dota 2 Winter Open originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Dec 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    McQuaid tweets teaser pic for his mystery MMO

    Posted: 31 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST

    Filed under: , , ,

    Back in September, Brad McQuaid let fans know he was working on a secret MMO, but has remained pretty tight-lipped about things since then. Now, McQuaid has taken to Twitter to tease interested fans with a tiny morsel: a beefy armored man with a broadsword (that's quite true to its name) sitting on an elaborate horned throne. Astute observers may question the significance of the solid blue eyes, which are reminiscent of a certain classic sci-fi story.

    More details will be available once this mystery MMO's Kickstarter is launched sometime in January. Until then, check out the full image of this imposing figure below.

    [Thanks to BabaGraPL for the tip!]

    Continue reading McQuaid tweets teaser pic for his mystery MMO

    MassivelyMcQuaid tweets teaser pic for his mystery MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Dec 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Daily Grind: What are your gaming resolutions for 2014?

    Posted: 31 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST

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    It's going to be this year in Alterac Valley for sure.
    Finally, 2013 is almost over. It feels like it went on for, like, a dozen months. And that means we all have a chance to look back at the past year, assess what we've done, and ask ourselves how we can make the next year even better. At least in terms of gaming; we can't really help you on the usual string of resolutions meant to make you a better person that wind up discarded by 8:00 p.m. on January 2nd.

    Maybe you spent most of 2013 hopping through games and want to settle down more firmly this year. Maybe you want 2014 to be the year that you finally give World of Warcraft or EVE Online a decent shot at catching your interest. Heck, maybe your major resolution is figuring out how you're going to balance four or five different games at the same time. So what are your gaming resolutions for 2014?

    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: What are your gaming resolutions for 2014? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Dec 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Not So Massively: Diablo III's Nephalem Rifts, PoE season six, and Firefall's ex-CEO comes under fire

      Posted: 30 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST

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      Not So Massively title image
      There's just one day left to sign up to Star Citizen's Next Great Starship game modding competition, and 198 teams have signed up to compete. Following the recent delay of the dogfighting module, players who missed the livestream got an early peek at the delayed and buggy combat gameplay when the full video was uploaded to YouTube this week. League of Legends was hit with its own scary bug this week that appears to make players on the other team teleport across the map toward you.

      Blizzard has now confirmed that the Nephalem Rifts feature coming to Diablo III will now be exclusive to Reaper of Souls expansion holders rather than the free update accompanying the game. Path of Exile developer Grinding Gear Games announced that its sixth race season will begin on January 10th, and players have recently discovered some odd stats spawning on fishing pole items originally thought to be worthless. And Firefall's ex-CEO Mark Kern defended himself on Twitter this week, stating that he wasn't fired but instead resigned after losing his status as CEO. Developers working under Mark have been writing about their discontentment with his command style this week on Glassdor and Reddit.

      Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III's Nephalem Rifts, PoE season six, and Firefall's ex-CEO comes under fire

      MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III's Nephalem Rifts, PoE season six, and Firefall's ex-CEO comes under fire originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Stream Team: Exploring the wilds of Allods Online

        Posted: 30 Dec 2013 04:00 PM PST

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        Allods Online
        Last week's Choose My Adventure votes are in, and the community has elected to send Massively's Mike Foster on the path of exploration in Allods Online. In tonight's stream, Mike will be looking carefully at Allods's art design, checking out as many zones as he can at a low level, and talking with viewers about how Allods differs from other fantasy titles. The action starts at 7:00 p.m. EST.

        Game: Allods Online
        Host: Mike Foster
        Date: Monday, December 30th, 2013
        Time: 7:00 P.M. EST

        Enjoy our Steam Team video below.

        Continue reading The Stream Team: Exploring the wilds of Allods Online

        MassivelyThe Stream Team: Exploring the wilds of Allods Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review

          Posted: 30 Dec 2013 03:00 PM PST

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          STO Ambassador Class
          We've reached the end of 2013 and once again it's time to take a look back at the past year in Star Trek Online to see what has been successful and what missed the mark. I have to say that this year has been the most active that the game has seen since its launch almost four years ago. There's a lot to cover, so I'll just get right to it.

          A new mission, a new ship, and a familiar voice

          The game's third anniversary saw a new featured episode accompany the usual Q-instigated frivolity. The mission called Temporal Ambassador included the familiar voice of actress Denise Crosby, whose character, Tasha Yar from Star Trek: The Next Generation, was brought back along with the long-awaited Ambassador Class ship. The ship became the mission reward, continuing Star Trek Online's tradition of providing players with a new vessel during the game's anniversary event. While many of us had hoped that Crosby might be heard again as her other character, the Romulan Tal Shiar Operative Sela, I don't think many of us were truly expecting what was to come.

          Continue reading Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review

          MassivelyCaptain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Stream Team: Playing Istaria with dev team members

            Posted: 30 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST

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            Istaria screenshot
            It's the 10th anniversary of Istaria, the classic MMORPG that allows players to play as dragons! Massively's Beau Hindman is going to dive in with members of the developer team to check out some of the new content and to revisit the old!

            Game: Istaria
            Host: Beau Hindman
            Date: Monday, December 30th, 2013
            Time: 4:00 p.m. EST

            Enjoy our Steam Team video below.

            Continue reading The Stream Team: Playing Istaria with dev team members

            MassivelyThe Stream Team: Playing Istaria with dev team members originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Lunia goes offline on January 1st

              Posted: 30 Dec 2013 12:00 PM PST

              Filed under: , , , ,

              Lunia
              It's been a rough year for MMOs, with several high profile titles going dark over the last 12 months. Unfortunately, it looks as though 2013 has a last-minute casualty to add to the pile in the form of Lunia, the free-to-play action-arcade RPG from All-M. According to an update on the game's official Facebook page, Lunia will be taken down permanently on January 1st, 2014. The game's website is also set to be disabled on the same date.

              Fans of Lunia can still share memories via the Lunia Facebook page, which will remain open even after the game's servers power down.

              [Thanks to Mehighlow for the tip!]

              MassivelyLunia goes offline on January 1st originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Chaos Theory: Cramming your Krampus in before TSW's holidays end

              Posted: 30 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST

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              Chaos Theory:  Cramming your Krampus in before TSW's holidays end
              Christmas 2013 -- it's quite a different experience in The Secret World than in other MMORPGs. Instead of offering some colorful cutesy characters based on the jolliest aspects of the season, TSW's festivities draw on the darkest parts of our lore to bring you a Christmas devil, a demoness, and undead Mayans. The only carol you hear is a twisted Jingle Bells whispered in the hellish Niflheim dimension, though wave after wave of horny Hel jokes fill the air. But even with all the differences, one thing is definitely the same: the stress of running around trying to get things done in time!

              As much as I am grateful that a form of last year's End of Days event has returned (I did ask for it after all), the fact that there are three events -- A Mother of a Season, Ever-Ending Days, and Whispering Tide -- happening simultaneously is a bit overwhelming. Add the whole real-life part of the holiday season to the evil RNG, and I am truly scrambling to complete my holiday wish list of pets, achievements, and apparel. I am even struggling to get the lore. (And you know that makes for a very unhappy MJ!)

              Luckily, the holiday events don't end until January 2nd, so I am going to make a push to finish up as much as I can. If you happen to be in the same boat, here are a few hints to help wrap it all up. If, however, you are one of those people who got everything done early, feel free to skip to the end where I have penned a more appropriate take on a holiday favorite in honor of the season. Hopefully it will become a new cherished tradition!

              Continue reading Chaos Theory: Cramming your Krampus in before TSW's holidays end

              MassivelyChaos Theory: Cramming your Krampus in before TSW's holidays end originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Designing Star Citizen's MISC Freelancer

                Posted: 30 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST

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                Last December, Star Citizen showed off the prototype for the MISC Freelancer ship, a transport vessel with a community-approved design. Now, virtual pilots can take a slideshow stroll through the artistic development process that has gone into taking this ship from concept to final product over the past year. Check out the early renderings and the newest images while following along with the written narrative where developers discuss everything from basic features (like cargo hold placement and weaponry) to the minute details of interior decorations (like the style of seats installed). With 33 panels of images in this Work In Progress update, it's almost like getting a personal tour of the ship.

                MassivelyDesigning Star Citizen's MISC Freelancer originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                MMORPG News

                MMORPG News


                Path of Exile: The Year in Review Published

                Posted: 31 Dec 2013 03:54 AM PST

                The Year in Review Published

                The Path of Exile team has posted a short and sweet letter on the game's official forums to lay out in detail all of the exciting happenings in and around the title.

                Guild Wars 2: On Improving Aquatic Adventuring

                Posted: 28 Dec 2013 05:13 PM PST

                On Improving Aquatic Adventuring

                One of the best features in Guild Wars 2 is the underwater combat system. In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at aquatic adventuring. See what we think before heading to the comments to chat.

                World of Warcraft: Delving More Into Garrisons

                Posted: 28 Dec 2013 04:57 PM PST

                Delving More Into Garrisons

                One of the features that many World of Warcraft players are looking forward to is the newly announced garrisons feature. In this week's WoW Factor, we take a look at garrisons and what they mean to players and to the game. Read on!

                Panzar: Instanced PvP All Around

                Posted: 28 Dec 2013 04:45 PM PST

                Instanced PvP All Around

                Panzar is a Russian-developed game that doesn't exactly fit in either the MOBA or the MMO category. We've taken a long look at Panzar and offer our official review. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments.

                MMOGaming News

                MMOGaming News


                Diablo: Paragon 2.0 News & UI

                Posted:

                Diablo: Paragon 2.0 News & UI


                With Patch 2.0.1 being available for testing on Public Test Realms, it's time to review some of the changes. One of the first and very important ones are concerning the Paragon system, which received a few tweaks.

                C9: The Mystic Item Key Giveaway

                Posted:

                C9: The Mystic Item Key Giveaway


                MMOsite is teamed up with WEBZEN to give away a free in-game rewards for the dungeon-based MMORPG, CONTINENT OF THE NINTH SEAL.

                Classic Review: Final Fantasy 5

                Posted:

                Classic Review: Final Fantasy 5


                I just beat Final Fantasy 5! Yay!.... What... to late? NEVER! I have never played the originals despite gaming since the early 1980's. I can not explain it or have no excuse. I just never got around to playing the original Final Fantasy Series.

                Blade and Soul KR PVP Tournament 2013

                Posted:

                Blade and Soul KR PVP Tournament 2013


                Please check out the videos of final match and the 3rd/4th match of PVP Tournament 2013 in Blade and Soul Korea Server.

                Blade and Soul China : Upcoming Sub Profession Event for the New Year!

                Posted:

                Blade and Soul China : Upcoming Sub Profession Event for the New Year!


                How have you guys been? I hope everyone enjoyed yourself last week. Well, in my country we don't get to see any snow so its just the good old monsoon rain. Anyway today I am here to share with you a new event in 2014!

                MMOsite Morning Call: Weekly Cosplay Highlight [12.30]

                Posted:

                MMOsite Morning Call: Weekly Cosplay Highlight [12.30]


                MMOsite Morning Call here to meet you again. This week we also have a great many of awesome cosplays, let's take a look together.

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