General Gaming Article

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• Cliff Bleszinski Planning to Develop Digital-Only PC Titles
• Google Looking at 34 Cities to Receive Google Fiber
• Toshiba's HG6 Series Solid State Drives Arrive with 19nm NAND Flash Memory
• Research Report Shows Desktop Graphics Shipments Continue to Rise
• Microsoft OneDrive Goes Global, Adds Automatic Camera Backup for Android
• King's Assembly Peripheral Consolidates Mouse, Keyboard, and Joystick
• Newegg Daily Deals: Intel 335 Series 240GB SSD, AMD A10-7700K Kaveri, and More!
• 'AMD Rewards' Turns Earned Points into Prizes

Cliff Bleszinski Planning to Develop Digital-Only PC Titles Posted: 19 Feb 2014 03:42 PM PST "PC is where I'm going to wind up. That's where the community is." Former Epic Games design director Cliff Bleszinski has expressed the possibility of developing games again. In an interview with Gamasutra, Bleszinski revealed that he was thinking of starting a new studio with its focus being on the PC platform.  If Bleszinski were to start his own studio, not only would he develop for the PC platform, but focus on communicating with players as well. He explained, "PC is where I'm going to wind up. That's where the community is. The trend will always be the core. If I start a studio, I want a community manager there day one. I want weekly video or podcasts; I want task lists available on the subreddit." Bleszinksi plans to focus on developing digital-only titles for the PC platform and seemed adamant when he said, "I'll never make another disc-based game for the rest of my career…" As to what kind of game he will develop next, Bleszinski, who worked on the Unreal Tournament and Gears of War franchises, added, "I will probably always make shooters. It's in my DNA." But Bleszinksi doesn't want to just create a good game. He concluded, "I want to get back to the point where I go to PAX, and a couple comes up to us and tells us that they met in a game that my team made. Cosplayers, Kids with tattoos. That sense of camaraderie with developers. That's where I want to get back to." Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Google Looking at 34 Cities to Receive Google Fiber Posted: 19 Feb 2014 01:50 PM PST Studies to be conducted Google has announced plans to investigate the possibilities of expanding its Google Fiber service to nine metro areas in the United States. Having set up its network system in Kansas City (KS), Austin (TX), and Provo (UT), Google is looking to branch out and discover how feasible it will be to bring its service to other areas. According to the official blog post, the company is looking at adding 34 cities to participate in this initiative. Some of the cities being approached are Portland (OR), Atlanta (GA), Phoenix (AZ), Nashville (TN), San Jose (CA), San Antonio (TX), Charlotte (NC), and Raleigh-Durham (NC). Google's goal is to work with city leaders on a joint planning process in order to map out a network and assess any local challenges. A detailed study of local topography, housing density, and condition of local infrastructure will be conducted to help the company determine whether or not these locations will be able to receive the service.  In the meantime, according to the post, "Cities will complete a checklist of items that will help them get ready for a project of this scale and speed. For example, they'll provide us with maps of existing conduit, water, gas and electricity lines so that we can plan where to place fiber. They'll also help us find ways to access existing infrastructure—like utility poles—so we don't unnecessarily dig up streets or have to put up a new pole next to an existing one." Google plans to provide updates, towards the end of the year, concerning which cities will be provided with Google Fiber. How eager are you to have Google Fiber come to your area? Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Toshiba's HG6 Series Solid State Drives Arrive with 19nm NAND Flash Memory Posted: 19 Feb 2014 11:42 AM PST New SSD line comes in capacities up 512GB If you thought Toshiba might simply hand over all solid state drive chores to its recently acquired OCZ Storage Solutions subsidiary, think again. Toshiba will continue to build its own brand SSDs alongside OCZ and today announced its new HG6 series. It's the newest edition to the HG family and is intended for a wide range of applications, everything from ultrabooks and ultrathins to data center servers. The HG6 series comes in different form factor options including 2.5-inch (7mm and 9.5mm heights) SATA 6Gbps, mSATA, and M.2 (both single-sided and double-sided) in capacities ranging from 60GB to 512GB, depending on form factor. What they all share in common are 19nm Toggle 2.0 multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory chips. Performance is the same across the board -- up to 534MB/s sequential reads and up to 482MB/s sequential writes. They also boast enterprise class technology such as Toshiba's proprietary QSBC (Quadruple Swing-By Code) error correction code (ECC) to prevent data corruption caused by NAND wear. Toshiba didn't share pricing information, though did say (PDF) the HG6 series will begin shipping in March 2014. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Research Report Shows Desktop Graphics Shipments Continue to Rise Posted: 19 Feb 2014 10:51 AM PST GPU market showing signs of a recovery The analytical folks at Jon Peddie Research (JPR) say there's evidence to show the graphics market may have bottomed out and is now slowly recovering, though cautioned it's still a bit premature to make any concrete determination. That said, graphics shipments increased 1.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013, which is the second quarter in a row that shipments have been up sequentially. That also outpaces the -2 percent 10-year average change for graphics shipments for quarter-to-quarter, JPR says. Included in those figures are discrete and integrated graphics (CPU and chipset) for desktops, notebooks, and netbooks, PC-based commercial (such as POS), industrial/scientific, and embedded applications. Not included are handhelds (mobile phones), x86 servers, or ARM-based tablets, though JPR does factor in x86-based tablets and x86-based Chromebooks. AMD saw mixed results for the quarter. It's desktop APU shipments jumped an impressive 15 percent sequentially, but declined 26.7 percent in notebooks, JPR says. Its discrete desktop shipments increased 1.8 percent while notebook discrete shipments fell 6.7 percent. Overall, AMD's PC graphics shipments declined 10.4 percent partly as a result of being "late with its new parts," JPR says. Rival Nvidia saw its desktop discrete shipments rise 3.6 percent sequentially, its notebooks discrete shipments go up 3.2 percent, and its overall PC graphics shipments rise 3.4 percent. Intel, which leads the graphics market with a 65.1 percent stake (versus 18.3 percent for AMD and 16.6 percent for Nvidia), benefited from from a 5.1 percent increase in overall PC graphics shipments. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Microsoft OneDrive Goes Global, Adds Automatic Camera Backup for Android Posted: 19 Feb 2014 08:57 AM PST Say goodbye to SkyDrive and hello to OneDrive Microsoft's rebranded SkyDrive service, now known as OneDrive, is now available globally, the Redmond outfit announced in a blog post today. If you're already a registered SkyDrive user, don't fret, your data is still there. Furthermore, there are a few incentives to sign back in (or sign up to OneDrive), such as a new automatic camera backup feature for Android, along with different ways to increase your storage ceiling. OneDrive users receive 7GB of storage space for free, You can increase that amount in 500MB increments by referring friends for a total of up to 5GB of additional space. And if you use the above-mentioned camera backup feature, you'll receive 3GB of additional storage. "We've built OneDrive into the latest versions of Windows, Windows Phone, Office, and Xbox. You can even make OneDrive your default storage option, so you never have to worry about whether you are saving files to the cloud: They are just there," Microsoft explains in a blog post. "If you happen to carry an iPhone or Android phone, or use an iPad, Android tablet, Windows device, or a Mac—OneDrive is available there, too." Microsoft announced the name change a month ago, which came as part of a trademark settlement with British Sky Broadcasting, known as BSkyB. Turning lemons into lemonade, Microsoft used the name change as an opportunity to flesh out the service and offer more space. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

King's Assembly Peripheral Consolidates Mouse, Keyboard, and Joystick Posted: 19 Feb 2014 08:06 AM PST A device that combines multiple input peripherals into one You never know what you'll find when browsing Kickstarter, the crowdfunding site that's helped bring Oculus Rift, Ouya, and Leisure Suit Larry Reloaded to fruition. We've also seen a handful of peripherals skate through Kickstarter -- items like the Stinky Footboard Controller and Paradise Desk. More recently, we stumbled upon a unique peripheral called King's Assembly, and with 51 days still to go, it's already blown past its funding goal. King's Assembly is a computer mouse that's "full of awesome," according to the project's Kickstarter title. More precisely, it's an input peripheral that attempts to consolidate a high-precision laser mouse, full mechanical keyboard, and analog joystick. Part of the reason for its existence is to help gamers save time from having to go from the mouse to the keyboard. "We challenged ourselves to find a way to move a mouse quickly and accurately without using fingers or thumbs. We designed a contoured palm rest that comfortably anchors your palm and enables you to drive the mouse without moving a single digit," developer Solid Art Labs explains. "The palm rest is designed to allow unobstructed movement of your fingers and thumb while still providing enough leverage in all directions to maintain precise mouse control." There are 30 keys for each hand, each outfitted with Cherry ML keyswitches (the team is investigating the use of Cherry MX) for tactile feedback and silent operation. It has a QWERTY layout by default, though you can switch to DVORAK and other setups with the click of a button. You have the option of owning King's Assembly for just one hand, either left ("Strategist") or right ("Elementist"), or you can use two and interconnect them with a 4-wire cable. Each side houses a 9800 optical laser sensor, and if you use both, the motion from each laser will be added together and show up as a single pointer input on the screen.   The project has already surpassed its $20,000 funding goal. At $50,000, the team will refine the design, and at $100,000, it will incorporate "souped-up programming." At $150,000 there will be a styling package with backlighting, and should the project reach $250,000 or more, it will go wireless. Give it a glance and let us know in the comments section what you think! Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: Intel 335 Series 240GB SSD, AMD A10-7700K Kaveri, and More! Posted: 19 Feb 2014 06:00 AM PST Top Deal: Feeling sluggish? Try guzzling a large cup of coffee or a Red Bull. Works like a charm and makes us wish we could dump a cup of joe into a sluggish system to give it some pep in its step. Unfortunately, that would have the exact opposite effect. However, change out that aging hard drive for a solid state drive and your system will find new life. You have a bunch to choose from, including today's top deal for an Intel 335 Series Jay Crest 2.5-inch 240GB SSD for $150 with free shipping (normally $160 - use coupon code: [EMCPHWB86]). This drive uses MLC NAND flash memory and is rated to deliver up to 500MB/s sequential reads and 450MB/s sequential writes. Other Deals: AMD A10-7700K Kaveri 3.5GHz Socket FM2+ 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor for $150 with free shipping (normally $160 - use coupon code: [EMCPHWB39]) G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2x8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1600 Desktop Memory for $139 with free shipping (normally $155 - use coupon code: [EMCPHWB57]) Asus VX248H Black 24-inch 1ms HDMI LED Backlight LCD Monitor for $180 with free shipping (normally $200 - use coupon code: [EMCPHWB62]) G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2x4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 2133 Desktop Memory for $77 with free shipping (normally $85 - use coupon code: [GTX750MEM10])

'AMD Rewards' Turns Earned Points into Prizes Posted: 18 Feb 2014 09:36 PM PST Earn points for playing games and cash them in for swag When it comes right down to it, the primary reason why most of us buy a discrete graphics cards is to play games. That's part of what made AMD's "Never Settle" bundles so awesome, and now the Sunnyvale chip designer has another promotion for gamers. It's called AMD Rewards and it's a program that gives Radeon and AMD APU owners a chance to claim prizes with points earned through the company's Gaming Evolved app. The Gaming Evolved app keeps your games optimized by auto-configuring the best settings for your setup. It also allows you to broadcast your game play via Twitch while you chat with others (or watch other games play), take screenshots, and more. With the AMD Rewards program, you can earn points by using the app to play games, as well as other activities, and then redeem them for physical goods. "We are thankful for the millions of gamers that support the AMD Radeon brand by using the AMD Gaming Evolved Powered by Raptr," said Darren McPhee, director, Graphics Marketing, AMD. "The AMD Rewards program is our way of thanking our loyal customers and giving back to the community that has given so much to us." At launch, AMD will have available $5 million worth of rewards. They'll include Radeon R9 Series graphics cards, over 100,000 copies of games, Astro gaming headsets, GameFly subscriptions, Gunnar gaming eyewear, discounts, and more. Interested? Go download the app and start earning points. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

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MMO Updates

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• Free for All: What my Raptr stats say about my gaming style
• Latest EverQuest patch implements controvertial changes to AAs, skills
• MMO Family: First impressions of Ganz's Amazing World
• PvP plans change for WoW's Warlords of Draenor
• Leaderboard: What's your preferred Elder Scrolls Online faction?
• The Daily Grind: How can survival sandboxes keep the challenge fresh?
• Salem prepares for full wipe
• The Stream Team: Rockin' it out in Free Realms
• Star Citizen's hangar module gets a functionality patch
• Jukebox Heroes: Allods Online's soundtrack
• RuneScape gets a bank-robbing minigame
• Epic Space Online presents space without borders
• French MMO Therian Saga launches English open beta
• New sandbox pseudo-MMO Windborne hits Steam Early Access
• Neverwinter to penalize PvP cowards, launches in Brazil
• The Stream Team: Helping Mr. Alltalks in FFXIV's Brayflox's Longstop
• World of Warcraft instant level 90 boost price revealed at $60 US
• Hyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR Sith beliefs
• Elder Scrolls Online answers more pre-order and Imperial Edition questions
• The Soapbox: My hypersexualization conundrum

Free for All: What my Raptr stats say about my gaming style Posted: 19 Feb 2014 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Casual, MMOFPS, Free for All, Miscellaneous, Sandbox I've had a love/hate relationship with Raptr, the free game tracking service and social network. I used it much of the time when it first came out but then fell out of love with it when it stopped detecting many of the indie and browser-based MMOs that I played. I picked it up again recently and have been attempting to keep it going any time I game. I like being able to communicate with people through the network, but I mainly enjoy looking over my stats as a gamer to see just how flighty I can be. The system isn't perfect, of course. Either I need to set the app to start when my PC does, or I just need to get better at remembering to start it when I begin a gaming session. And even though I play many, many different types of games and MMOs, the network still doesn't automatically recognize many of the smaller titles I like to play. So even though there are some gaps in my wall, I thought it'd be interesting to look at the info there to see just how much gaming I am doing. Continue reading Free for All: What my Raptr stats say about my gaming style Free for All: What my Raptr stats say about my gaming style originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Feb 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Latest EverQuest patch implements controvertial changes to AAs, skills Posted: 19 Feb 2014 08:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, Patches, Free-to-Play Change is rarely easy, but EverQuest's most recent patch comes with controversial changes that some community members are less than thrilled about while others herald as long overdue. After receiving feedback on the proposed changes to Alternate Advancement points and abilities (namely that Gold members would be granted a huge portion of AAs and classes would no longer be able to fight 100+ mobs at a single time with specific skills), SOE made some adjustments. Specifically, Gold level members must now opt-in to receive the AA grant that will give everything up to the most recent four expansions (with the exception of Spell Casting Subtlety and Tradeskill Mastery AAs, which must be earned as normal). Other AA changes include the conversion of Leadership AAs to standard abilities. On top of that, a number of spells and abilities now have limits to prevent players from fighting mass swarms of mobs, and Heroic Adventures will no longer lock, allowing players to be added to them at any time. The patch, which went live yesterday, also included a change that only affected the Firiona Vie server. The XP potions that players farmed and sold will no longer be a source of income; although all current potions already in game will remain tradable for now, all future ones will be non-tradable. Latest EverQuest patch implements controvertial changes to AAs, skills originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Feb 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Patch notes

MMO Family: First impressions of Ganz's Amazing World Posted: 19 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Opinion, Free-to-Play, First Impressions, Kids, MMO Family, Family WebKinz is one of the oldest kid-friendly MMOs around, and it still boasts a healthy community, long after other running titles have closed their doors. But Ganz Studio recently launched a new MMO that takes the WebKinz spirit and plants it in a colorful 3-D world. Amazing World combines cuteness with adventure and adds a more modern look and feel. But is Amazing World really that amazing? In this week's MMO Family, we'll take a look and give some first impressions! Continue reading MMO Family: First impressions of Ganz's Amazing World MMO Family: First impressions of Ganz's Amazing World originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Feb 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

PvP plans change for WoW's Warlords of Draenor Posted: 19 Feb 2014 07:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Expansions, PvP, News Items, Subscription After listening to the World of Warcraft community's concerns about the previously announced PvP arena plans, Blizzard has scrapped its original Trial of the Gladiator idea for Warlords of Draenor. Instead, the expansion will feature a return of Skirmishes and the addition of War Games. Skirmishes will be for unranked arena battles of 2v2 and 3v3 that players can queue for either as a team or solo; defeating the other team will net the victors Honor and another bonus (such as gold, more Honor, or Conquest points). While Skirmishes are meant to be more relaxed, the War Games are all about the competition. Utilizing a new Spectator Invite System, match organizers can invite two teams (who will all be wearing Tournament Mode gear to promote equal footing) to battle it out in front of a live audience -- all members of the organizers party will be able to watch the match. PvP plans change for WoW's Warlords of Draenor originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Feb 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: PvP changes

Leaderboard: What's your preferred Elder Scrolls Online faction? Posted: 19 Feb 2014 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, Opinion, Leaderboard, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription ZeniMax partially dropped the NDA for Elder Scrolls Online, and while we can't really talk about stuff past level 15, we can talk about factions. There are three of them: The Ebonheart Pact, the Aldmeri Dominion, and the Daggerfall Covenant. Nords, Dunmer, and Argonian players will belong to Ebonheart. Altmer, Bosmer, and Khajiit fall under the Aldmeri banner, while Bretons, Redguards, and Orcs will be sporting Daggerfall colors. So, how about it, Leaderboard readers? Which Elder Scrolls Online faction will you be playing? Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard! Continue reading Leaderboard: What's your preferred Elder Scrolls Online faction? Leaderboard: What's your preferred Elder Scrolls Online faction? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Feb 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: How can survival sandboxes keep the challenge fresh? Posted: 19 Feb 2014 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous, Sandbox Shawn and I have had several conversations about the conundrum present in Fallen Earth. Namely, that the first part of the game is really exciting because you get that cool feeling of scrounging for survival and clawing your way out of the wasteland -- but then this turns into a different game when "survival" makes way for "laser tag with high-tech gear in PvP zones." It's made me wonder how MMOs that are being built with a survival sandbox angle are planning to keep that sense of challenge and building yourself up fresh. I think that there's a point in these games where you have accumulated and built enough to keep yourself comfortable unless the game deliberately removes that attained protection or keeps escalating the danger past the point of lunacy. So this is our thinking exercise for the day: How can survival sandboxes keep the challenge fresh for players? 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! The Daily Grind: How can survival sandboxes keep the challenge fresh? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Feb 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Salem prepares for full wipe Posted: 18 Feb 2014 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Patches, Sandbox The end of the world is nigh for Salem and it's rankling more than a few players' sensibilities. Earlier this month, the developers announced that they will be conducting a full wipe of Salem in an upcoming patch. This will reset the map and delete all characters in order to condense the population onto a single server. Currently the game is running on multiple servers, which the devs deem as "overestablished." Players are upset that the sandbox MMO is being wiped in light of the team previously promising that it wouldn't do such a thing. Seatribe is sympathetic but resolute: "We did not arrive at this decision lightly. We have considered all our options and for various reasons found them wanting." The good news is that the patch will add in plenty of new features and tweaks, including a rework of the gluttony system, improvements to character proficiencies, and the implementation of a new map generator. Every item that characters purchased from the store beforehand will be restored to them once the patch goes live. [Thanks to Nine for the tip!] Salem prepares for full wipe originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Wipe announcement

The Stream Team: Rockin' it out in Free Realms Posted: 18 Feb 2014 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Free Realms, Kids, Livestream, The Stream Team, Sunsets Massively's Larry Everett and his son Zach want to get some time into Free Realms before it shuts down. Join them at 7:00 p.m. EST as they tour their favorite places and play their favorite minigames in SOE's kid-focused MMORPG. Hop in the game with them if you'd like; maybe they can get a full demolition derby team together! Game: Free Realms Host: Larry Everett Date: Tuesday, February 18th, 2014 Time: 7:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Rockin' it out in Free Realms The Stream Team: Rockin' it out in Free Realms originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Citizen's hangar module gets a functionality patch Posted: 18 Feb 2014 03:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play If you haven't peeked at your Star Citizen hangar in the last couple of weeks, today would be an ideal time to do so. Why's that? Well, because Cloud Imperium has patched the hangar module to include a number of bug fixes and a tad bit of new functionality. Cutlass and Freelancer owners will be glad to know their ships have been updated, and everyone else will be glad to know that their holotables now display ammo and their firing range targets will now move. The full list of patch notes is available on the Star Citizen website, as is the hangar client download provided that you're a backer. Star Citizen's hangar module gets a functionality patch originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Jukebox Heroes: Allods Online's soundtrack Posted: 18 Feb 2014 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Opinion, Allods Online, Jukebox Heroes, Music I'm particularly excited about this week's journey through MMO music because we're going to touch on one of those scores that doesn't get nearly enough of the respect it should. Like Runes of Magic's excellent OST, Allods Online's music is largely overlooked because the game itself isn't treated as a "serious" or "original" title. But one shouldn't be so quick to throw out the soundtrack with the bathwater (that is both messy and noisy!); Allods Online has several top-notch tracks that should be recognized no matter what you may think of the game. Composers Mark Morgan (Fallout, Planescape: Torment) and Vladislav Isaev (Prime World) collaborated on the large project. "The music in Allods Online combines lots of different elements and styles," they said in a 2009 interview. "These range from dark ambient and ethnic music, symphonies and rock music, as well as various industrial noises. Some tracks in the game retain a Russian melody spirit combined with high a quality production and its own unique sound." I think it's the Russian flair that sets this apart from being yet another fantasy soundtrack. Anything different and yet still catchy is welcome at my dinner table. Let's partake, shall we? Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Allods Online's soundtrack Jukebox Heroes: Allods Online's soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

RuneScape gets a bank-robbing minigame Posted: 18 Feb 2014 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, RuneScape, Free-to-Play, Browser Jagex has added a new bank-robbing minigame called Heist to its long-running RuneScape MMO. "Players form two teams and are pitted against each other in a contest of espionage, deception, and grand larceny," the firm explains. While the setup is pretty simple, Jagex says that the Heist minigame requires skill to master. "The best robbers will be able to mimic the island's citizens to fool the guards," the company says, "while the most successful guards will be the ones who can spot suspicious behaviour a mile off. Start your adventures in bankrobbing by climbing the airship ladder north Falador, and hit up the RuneScape home page for further details. RuneScape gets a bank-robbing minigame originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Epic Space Online presents space without borders Posted: 18 Feb 2014 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, New Titles, Free-to-Play Let us introduce you to Epic Space Online, an MMO so epic, it says so right in the title. This indie game was developed by the Alpha Company and is currently available, although it's trying to get voted into the Steam Greenlight program for wider recognition and distribution. Epic Space Online takes place in a single shared, procedurally generated universe without any borders. Players can vie over territory, mine ore, deploy stations, make ships, trade goods, and even command giant carriers staffed by other players. The devs have promised weekly updates and features to keep things lively. You can check out the trailer after the break. Continue reading Epic Space Online presents space without borders Epic Space Online presents space without borders originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

French MMO Therian Saga launches English open beta Posted: 18 Feb 2014 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, New Titles, Free-to-Play, Sandbox Therian Saga has proven to be a modest hit in the French-speaking communities of Canada and Europe, amassing 50,000 players for the free-to-play sandbox title since summer 2013, and now it has opened its doors to the English-speaking community as well. Developer Virtys announced today that Therian Saga has begun the English open beta, inviting in a new wave of players to see how the studio has been taking cues from the community with the game's development. Therian Saga is an open-world sandbox that prides itself on an elaborate crafting system, interdependant guilds, a deep story, and heroes that keep on going even when you log out. The developers have put together a welcome video for its English-speaking community, explaining what makes Therian Saga special. Unfortunately it was lost in an avalanche and will never be... oh, we're just kidding. It's after the break! [Source: Virtys press release] Continue reading French MMO Therian Saga launches English open beta French MMO Therian Saga launches English open beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

New sandbox pseudo-MMO Windborne hits Steam Early Access Posted: 18 Feb 2014 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Buy-to-Play It may not technically be an MMO, but we thought that Hidden Path Entertainment's "social sandbox creation" game, Windborne, might pique your interest. The game, which is now available via Steam's Early Access program, allows players to explore "an infinite number of islands, each full of wonder and surprise," on which they (and their friends) can utilize "a wide variety of building materials, furnishings, and artifacts" in order to build new civilizations and alter the world as they see fit. They can also befriend and trade with the island natives, creatures called the Jin, and the current build also boasts a "basic quest system," which gives players a "guided tour" of the game to help them gain their footing in this new world. Windborne's Steam page also outlines a number of features planned for the game's future development, such as the ability for players to help "guide the Jin to civilization" by protecting and defending them. Future updates will also add "millions of ruins filled with puzzles and treasure," dragons that can be tamed, bred, and ridden as mounts, and combat and quest systems. One last planned feature that should appeal to MMO fans is the implementation of systems to allow players to see the islands of other players surrounding their own and visit neighboring islands where they can trade, build, and generally interact with the islands' owners. If that sounds up your alley, Windborne is currently available on Steam Early Access for $29.99 US, though the game is on sale for $23.99 until February 24th. To read (and watch) more about the game or pick it up for yourself, check out Windborne's Steam page at the link below. New sandbox pseudo-MMO Windborne hits Steam Early Access originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Windborne Steam page

Neverwinter to penalize PvP cowards, launches in Brazil Posted: 18 Feb 2014 12:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, Patches, PvP, Free-to-Play, Neverwinter Neverwinter's upcoming PvP patch is shaping up to be significant, as Cryptic Studios has said that it will add in a matchmaking system and penalize players who leave early. The matchmaking system will lump players together for domination matches based on their skill ratings. What's a skill rating? It's a fancy number that rises and lowers based on your wins and losses in comparison to others' rating. You better stick it out when you do queue up, however, because the game will block you from queuing up for any group content for a set amount of time. In other Neverwinter news, the game has launched in Brazil, fully localized for Portuguese. Perfect World has partnered with UOL BoaCompra to handle the local support, payment, and marketing for the title. Neverwinter to penalize PvP cowards, launches in Brazil originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Brazil launch announcement, PvP updates

The Stream Team: Helping Mr. Alltalks in FFXIV's Brayflox's Longstop Posted: 18 Feb 2014 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, PvE, Final Fantasy XIV, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team Final Fantasy XIV's seventh full dungeon takes place within the beautiful, overgrown forest of Raincatcher Gully where Brayflox Alltalks, a small goblin, isn't doing so well with the local fauna. Join Massively's Jasmine live at 3:00 p.m. EST as she helps Brayflox not get his face entirely eaten by digital wildlife. Game: Final Fantasy XIV Host: Jasmine Hruschak Date: Tuesday, February 18th, 2014 Time: 3:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Helping Mr. Alltalks in FFXIV's Brayflox's Longstop The Stream Team: Helping Mr. Alltalks in FFXIV's Brayflox's Longstop originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

World of Warcraft instant level 90 boost price revealed at $60 US Posted: 18 Feb 2014 11:30 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, News Items, Subscription There's a new addition to World of Warcraft's in-game shop today, and it happens to be the much-discussed boost that instantly takes a single character to level 90. The $60 US price tag, discovered by our sleuthy sister site WoW Insider, may come as good news or bad news to you, depending on your outlook. On the one hand, if you view the journey from 1 to 90 as a sacred rite of passage that should be held valuable, it appears that Blizzard values it at about the price of a brand-new video game. Not exactly chump change. On the other hand, if you were hoping to assemble a legion of 90s overnight, you're going to need some deep pockets. As WoW Insider notes, it's likely that the boost isn't intended to be available in the shop just yet since the Warlords of Draenor pre-order (which will grant the same instant-level-90 to those who purchase it) isn't available yet, and the WoW Insider staff member who discovered it only managed to do so between server restarts during today's maintenance. I suppose we'll find out whether or not it was intentional when the servers come back up later today. At any rate, there's no reason to think the price will be changed regardless of whether or not it's already available for purchase, so if you're in the market for some instant level 90 characters, start saving up now. [Thanks to WoW Insider for the image!] World of Warcraft instant level 90 boost price revealed at $60 US originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: WoW Insider -- Level 90 boost appears up on live servers for $60

Hyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR Sith beliefs Posted: 18 Feb 2014 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Culture, Lore, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon, MMORPG Peace is a lie; there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me. Although this statement is considered the Sith Code, the guide by which all Sith live their lives, it's more a counter to the Jedi Code than anything. Because the first Sith Lords as we know them in Star Wars: The Old Republic were former Jedi, it only makes sense that they would create a code intended to be the antithesis of the Jedi's central theme. Not all Sith follow the Sith code, but most believe in its credence. If the Sith Code isn't central to the Sith beliefs, what is? That's the interesting thing: There doesn't seem to be a central theme other than to be the opposite of the Jedi. Some Sith believe in an Empire. Some Sith believe there can be only two. Yet the Sith existed long before there was a Sith Code. Before there was a Sith Order, there was the Sith Empire on Ziost and Korriban, and that is where the SWTOR Sith come from. That is where my Sith characters come from. I don't believe I have all the philosophical answers, and clearly, my way is not the only way to roleplay a Sith, but perhaps I can give you a launchpad to start your own storylines. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR Sith beliefs Hyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR Sith beliefs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Elder Scrolls Online answers more pre-order and Imperial Edition questions Posted: 18 Feb 2014 10:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, New Titles, Races, Community Q&A, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription, MMORPG Those of you who hang on every word flowing from the Elder Scrolls Online developers will be happy to know there's a new Ask Us Anything on the official ESO website. What does it address this round? Pre-orders and CE edition queries! By default, players will have eight characters with which to explore every facet of the game. But if you want to play with a friend through his faction's zones, you will also need to pre-order, even though you want to play a Khajiit and he's a Nord. In order for both of you to gain the bonus from the rings of Mara, which link you and a friend in the eternal bonds of XP gain, only one player must own the Imperial Edition. And lastly, all the pre-order and Imperial Edition bonuses will be available on launch day, April 4th, but the ability to play any race in any faction will be available as soon as early access starts. Don't forget to redeem those three- and five-day pre-order codes from the retailers! (If you ordered directly from the official website, you don't need to do anything else.) Elder Scrolls Online answers more pre-order and Imperial Edition questions originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: ESO Ask Us Anything #13

The Soapbox: My hypersexualization conundrum Posted: 18 Feb 2014 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Races, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous, MOBA, MMORPG, Buy-to-Play Every now and then here at Massively, we receive an email that isn't super nice. I know this may come as a shock to many of you -- the internet is, after all, a place of tolerance and constructive debate -- but sometimes the Massively inbox is no place any sane person would want to be. One reader recently took the opportunity to offer some choice thoughts on Massively staffers. And amidst the jumble of insults and generalizations, the reader levied the ever-powerful "hypocrisy" charge at us for claiming to care about hypersexualized designs of female characters in MMOs while simultaneously playing as those very hypersexualized characters. How could we possibly purport to care about the presentation of women in games if we're all running around in chainmail bikinis? Generally speaking, I prefer to not have my habits and behavior challenged via ad hominem attacks and false comparisons. But I have to admit that this one particular charge piqued my curiosity. Why is it that the majority of my characters are female? Am I, as a person who looks down on hypersexualized designs in games, committing an act of hypocrisy every time I create a female character? Let's sort it out. And before we begin, remember that the Soapbox, like most of our editorials, is just one person's opinion and doesn't represent the thoughts of Massively as a whole. Continue reading The Soapbox: My hypersexualization conundrum The Soapbox: My hypersexualization conundrum originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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