General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

The Beginner's Crash Course on Computer Programming

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 04:19 PM PST

Computer Programming: Every PC user should know how to program, and there's never been a better time to learn

With the huge variety of computing devices all around us, it's important to remember what it is that's special about a full-fledged personal computer. We think the main difference can be summed up in one word: mastery. No matter how much time you spend with an iPad or an Android phone or in a web browser, you can never truly master it. There's just not enough there to learn. But the PC? That's different. The PC goes deep.

As you develop your mastery over the PC, you move past all sorts of boundaries. First, you learn to replace the software that came on the computer. You discover the command prompt and how to tweak the OS. You learn to build your own PC, and to benchmark it. And then, at the very bottom of it all, there's one last boundary standing between you and true PC mastery. You have to learn computer programming.

Why is coding the ultimate test of PC mastery? Because learning how to program is the thing that breaks down the wall between you and your computer—it makes it possible for you to truly understand what's going on underneath your desktop.

And, all philosophical ramblings aside, it's a pretty great skill to have. Whether you need to automate a process on your computer or whip up a quick web app for a family member's website, knowing how to code is a big boon. Who knows, you might even be able to earn some money.

Learning to program isn't something you can do in an hour, or even in an afternoon. You have to learn to think in a whole new way, which takes dedication and patience. Fortunately, it can also be a lot of fun. In this article, we're going to take a whirlwind tour through some of the most important concepts in computer programming, and we'll direct you to resources that'll help you start your adventures in coding.

Basic Information

A Q&A on the ABCs of programming

Before we can do anything, we've got to cover the basics. Here's what you have to know before you can get started.

When we say computer "programming," what does that really mean?

For this article, we're going to use a fairly narrow definition of programming, and say that what we're talking about is the process of creating software on a computer. That process involves writing out a series of commands for the computer to execute, which will create our desired behavior. We write those commands using a programming language.

What's a programming language?

A programming language is the set of rules that define how we express what the computer should do when it executes the program. There's an incredible variety of programming languages available for use, but the vast majority of commercial and personal software is written in one of a core group of languages including C/C++, Java, C#, Python, and a few others. Modern programming languages share a lot of the same basic concepts and some syntax, so learning your second, third, or fourth programming language is much easier than learning your first.

What makes one programming language different from another?

Each programming language has its own strengths and weaknesses. C and C++ are low-level languages, meaning that code written in C is closer to the machine code that your CPU understands (see below). Low-level languages can produce faster, more efficient software, so they're used where performance is at a premium—for programming an operating system or a 3D gaming engine, for instance. High-level languages, like Java and Python, have the advantage of being much easier to program in, and the same program can generally be written with fewer lines of code in a high-level language.

But which one's the best?

There's no one best language—it really depends on what kind of programming you want to do. If you want to program native Windows applications, you'll use C#; if you want to program sophisticated web applications, Ruby would be a good choice; if you want to be the next John Carmack, you should probably start with C.

No, for real, which language should I start with?

The secret is to not stress too much about whichever particular language you start with. The important things you will be learning are all basic concepts that work pretty much the same in every programming language. You'll learn how to use data structures and conditionals and loops to manage how your code flows. You'll learn to structure your program in a way that's readable and organized. Once you've done all that, learning a bit of syntax to pick up a new language won't seem like much work at all.

But, if you really want a suggestion, start with JavaScript. It's an easy language to learn, it's got some practical applications, and its syntax is similar enough to some more-powerful languages like C# and Java that making the transition later on won't be too hard.

Is HTML a programming language?

Not quite! HTML is a markup language, used to define the contents of a webpage. Although HTML has a specific syntax (a set of rules defining how you have to write things), it doesn't have semantics, or meaning. An HTML document is rendered, rather than executed. That said, if you have written an HTML document, you at least have experience writing a formalized computer language, which may make the jump to programming easier.

What's an IDE?

An IDE (short for integrated development environment) is the software suite programmers use to actually write programs. They generally include a specialized text editor for writing the source code, as well as the ability to test and debug your program. Two of the most popular IDEs are Eclipse (open source, free, and available at www.eclipse.org) and Microsoft Visual Studio (proprietary and expensive, but with a free "Express" version that's limited to and excels at programming in C, C#, and BASIC).

Visual Studio is one of the most advanced IDEs around, and is used by nearly all Windows programmers.

Visual Studio is one of the most advanced IDEs around, and is used by nearly all Windows programmers.

How can I start writing a program, Like, right now?

Unfortunately, it can be a bit of a hassle to get started coding in most programming languages. You generally have to install and configure an SDK (software developer kit), and sometimes an IDE as well, in order to be able to write and compile code in a new language. It's rarely super hard, but be prepared to spend 15–30 minutes Googling, reading a guide for your chosen language, and setting things up.

Fortunately, JavaScript is much easier to get started with. In fact, you can start writing code right this second, using an in-browser coding environment like JSFiddle.net. An in-browser IDE isn't a good solution for serious programming projects, but it's a great way to get started as a beginner. To start writing JavaScript in an interactive environment with structured lessons, you can visit www.codeacademy.com (but more on that later).

Click the next page to learn about how it all works.

 

How Does It Actually Work?

When you write a program in a high-level language like Java-Script, the document you create isn't something that your computer's low-level hardware can understand. The CPU has only a limited number of instructions it can perform, such as addition, subtraction, and moving numbers into and out of memory. These instructions are actually physically implemented in the CPU using transistors organized into logic gates. Though modern instruction sets, such as the X86-64 set implemented in any consumer 64-bit CPU, are actually very large and sophisticated, programming for the CPU directly (using a super-low-level language called assembly language) is an arduous, slow process.

High-level languages allow you forgo a lot of the technical grunt work. For instance, in a high-level language, you can simply declare and use variables as you please, without ever worrying about what exactly is going on in your system's memory. In assembly language, you have to manually assign data to locations in memory as you use it, and clear up the memory when you're done.

In order to get your high-level program to run on the CPU, you need a compiler—a piece of software that optimizes your code and converts it into a machine-readable executable file. Some languages, such as Java, are not compiled, but rather interpreted, which means that the source code itself is distributed, and then compiled on the end user's machine. The upside of an interpreted language is that you can distribute a single file that can be run on Windows, OSX, or Linux. The downside is that whoever runs the file has to have a copy of the interpreter on their machine—an annoyance that anyone who's tried to run a Java-Script applet on a new computer will be familiar with.

Core Concepts

Understand these, and you've got everything you need to start writing programs in any language

Variables

Variables in programming are a little different from the "X"s you remember from high school algebra. In programming, a variable is like an empty container—it can hold a number, a word, or any other data or data structure you want to use in your program. The program can read and change the variable's value as it runs, letting you keep track of and manipulate data.

Variables are the basic building block of a program, and most lines of code in any program will include a variable in some form.

In some languages, such as Python, a single variable can contain one type of data (say, a number), then can be assigned to hold a different type of data (like a word). In other languages, such as C and C#, a variable is declared, with a particular type, and then can only hold that type of data for the rest of the program. This is the distinction between dynamically typed and statically typed programming languages.

Conditionals

Most programs do not run in a vacuum—they accept some form of user input. To deal with the uncertainty that this brings, we need to be able to write code that is flexible, and to do that, we need conditionals.

Conditionals are places where the code branches. In most modern languages, they take the form of an if statement, which joins an expression that is either true or false (called a Boolean expression) and a block of code. The if statement says, in a nutshell, "If this Boolean expression is true, execute the following code. Otherwise, skip it."

In most languages, if statements can also include an else clause, which allows you to specify a second block of code that will only be executed when the Boolean expression is false. For example, under the "Sample Code" section below, the 99BottlesOfBeer function includes an if statement that checks to see if the "age" variable is greater than or equal to 21, and sets a different variable called "drink" to an age-appropriate libation.

Loops

Another way you can control the order in which code is executed is with a loop. Where an if statement allows you to execute or not execute a certain block of code, a loop allows you to keep executing the same block of code multiple times.

There are several different types of loops, but the two that you'll find in almost any programming language are the while loop and the for loop.

A while loop works a lot like an if statement. You attach a Boolean (true or false) statement to the while loop, and as long as that statement is true, the loop keeps repeating. Basically it says "as long as this statement is true, keep going." As a consequence, something inside the looping code has to make a change that could cause the Boolean statement to become false, or else the loop will never end.

For example, the following code will print out the word "hello" 10 times, then stop:
    while(x < 10) {
            x = x + 1;
            print("hello");
    }

Notice that we used the variable x as a loop counter, to control the number of times the loop runs. The other most common type of loop, the for loop, is basically just a while loop with a built-in loop counter. You tell the loop right away how many times you want it to run, like this:
for(int x; x < 10; x = x + 1) {
        print("hello");
}

The part after "for" just defines a counter. It says "start with a number (integer) we'll call x, and keep looping as long as x is less than 10. At the end of every loop, increment x by one."

Functions

The most powerful way to control the flow of a program is with functions, which allow you to reuse code. Also called a subroutine, a function is a block of code that you've given a name to, so you can reuse it any time you want.

For example, you could define a function called PrintHelloThenGoodbye by doing the following:
    void PrintHelloThenGoodbye()
    {
            print("hello");
            print("goodbye");
    }

Then, if you called that function three times in your code, as follows:
PrintHelloThenGoodbye();
PrintHelloThenGoodBye();
PrintHelloThenGoodbye();

Your program would output "hello goodbye hello goodbye hello goodbye."

A function can also take variables as inputs, and
return an output value. So, for instance, you could write a function that takes a number as an input, and returns that number squared. It would like look like this:
    int Square(int toSquare)
    {
            return toSquare * toSquare;

    }

Notice the "return" keyword. That passes the following value back to whatever part of the code called the function. So, if somewhere else in the code we called the function like this:
print(Square(5));

The program would print out the number 25.

Syntax

Maybe the most intimidating thing about programming is the syntax—the strange punctuation marks and cryptic words that make a page of code look like a foreign language. Fortunately, in most programming languages, syntax is really only a couple of rules that you have to remember, and a lot of syntax is shared between languages.

It's all dependent on what language you're programming in, but here are a couple of syntactical elements that are common across many popular languages:

Semicolon The semicolon is like the coding equivalent of a period—each line of code ends with one. It's important, because in many languages, line breaks are just for readability, and don't have any effect on the execution of the code.

Parentheses Parentheses are used after functions (see above) to contain that function's parameters (or inputs). You might remember this usage from your high school math classes, when f(x) was a function that operated on the variable x.

Curly braces In a number of languages (particularly those derived from C), curly braces "{}" are used to enclose and group blocks of code. They're used, for instance, after the control structures described here (if statements, loops, and functions), to designate the block of code that the statement refers to.

Indentation Because all of the control structures can be nested inside each other, code tends to take on a sort of hierarchy. A particular line of code might be inside an if statement, which is inside another if statement, which is inside a loop that's inside a function. All that can get hard to keep track of! To make it easier, code is written with variable levels of indentation. The more indented a line of code is, the more deeply nested it is. In most languages, indentation is purely for readability, but in a few (like Python), it actually controls the grouping of code, and is used instead of curly braces.

Sample Code

This oh-so-practical program prints out an age-appropriate version of the song "99 Bottles of Beer."

function 99BottlesOfBeer(int age) {

        var bottlesLeft = 99;
        var drink;

            if (age >= 21) {
                        drink = "beer";
                } else {
                        drink = "coke";
                }   

                while (bottlesLeft > 0)
                {
        print (bottlesLeft + " bottles of "           
                              + drink + " on the wall");
                        bottlesLeft = bottlesLeft - 1;
                }
}

Click the next page to learn how you can take action with computer programming!

Advanced Course: Object-Oriented Programming

Taking a look at the bigger picture

Using only the tools we've discussed so far, you can write functions that manipulate variables in all sorts of ways—the foundation of pretty much any program you want to write. Unfortunately, as the complexity of a program increases, it becomes difficult to maintain code that's organized and easy to understand using only those concepts. As an example, if you were writing code for a bank to keep track of its customers' accounts, you would quickly end up with hundreds of functions and thousands of variables. It would become very difficult to understand what was going on in the code at any particular place, and more generally how the whole thing works.

That's what object-oriented programming (OOP) is for. OOP is a paradigm that allows you to group variables and functions together into classes, which are (usually) meant to model things or particular concepts. For instance, in the bank example, we might start by creating a class called "Account," which simulates a user account. Classes are made up of variables and functions (called methods when they're part of a class), so we start by figuring out what data (variables) and capabilities (methods) an account needs to have. For variables, we might use account number, the account holder's name, and the balance. For methods, we would want the ability to deposit money, which would increase the balance variable, and withdraw money, which would decrease it.

Once you've defined a class, you have to instantiate it for every object you're modeling. So in the bank example, we would create a new instance of the account class for every customer of the bank—that way every person can have his or her own account number and balance.

It all sounds very complicated until you get to play around with it yourself, but the basic idea of OOP is that we set up a system of tens, hundreds, or thousands of objects that can cooperate with each other to produce the effect that we want.

Object-oriented programming is not the only programming paradigm in use, but it is the most common. Understanding the core concepts of classes, objects, and methods is the last hurdle to programming in languages like Java, C#, and Python.

Educate Yourself

Learn to code at your own pace with these great online resources

We've talked a bit about semantics, syntax, and structure, the three things you need to write code. If you were able to follow along, you already know enough to start writing simple programs, and you can pick up the rest as you go. If it still seems a little murky, don't worry—programming is the kind of thing that really only clicks when you try it yourself. Here are some tips for getting your feet wet:

Use CodeAcademy

CodeAcademy is the best resource there's ever been for complete beginners to learn coding. It's a series of interactive tutorials that teach you the fundamentals of programming, one bit at a time. In each lesson, you'll write actual code that compiles and runs right in your browser, and the lessons build on each other gradually enough that you'll rarely feel out of your depth.

You can learn a number of languages at CodeAcademy, including JavaScript, Python, and Ruby. It won't teach you everything you need to know to be a professional coder, but it will give you the basic familiarity with the language that you need in order to start learning more complicated concepts.

Use Stack Overflow

Once you've gotten started with a language, the programmer Q&A site StackOverflow.com is the best repository for answers about more complicated topics. Don't start asking questions right away (someone has almost certainly asked about anything you're running up against), just use the search function to find answers related to any problems you have.

It's not the most newbie-friendly site on the web, but Stack Overflow is an unparalleled resource for programmers.

It's not the most newbie-friendly site on the web, but Stack Overflow is an unparalleled resource for programmers.

Use Google

Of course, Google is great for solving almost any sort of problem, but it's especially good for issues related to programming. Maybe it's because the people who tweak the Google search engine are programmers themselves, but Google is excellent at picking out relevant pages from various programming languages' documentation.

Ultimately, the key to learning to program is to not let yourself get overwhelmed. Hopefully, the concepts we've covered in this article have been enough to pique your interest, but don't worry if it's still a little confusing. Take your time, make use of the online resources available to you, and you'll have conquered the final frontier of PC power-use before you know it.

Next Steps

Two ways you can get started making something cool

Unity

If you don't pay much attention to the game-development scene, you might never have heard of Unity, the game engine that's quietly revolutionizing indie development. What's so good about it? Two things: First, Unity is a flexible and powerful engine for making 3D and 2D games. Unity takes care of all the low-end graphics and physics processing, so you can focus your coding energies on the high-end gameplay decisions. You can code in Java-Script or C# in Unity, and it can automatically build your game for you on almost any platform, from the PC to the PlayStation to the iPhone.

The free Unity game engine combines a drag-and-drop 3D interface with JavaScript and C# scripting.

The free Unity game engine combines a drag-and-drop 3D interface with JavaScript and C# scripting.

Second, and perhaps more amazingly, Unity is available to everyone for free. Where previously a high-quality game engine would have to be licensed for tens of thousands of dollars, Unity lets you code professional-quality games for free. There are a few features that you have to pay for, but the free versions should still have all the tools you need.

To get started with Unity, visit www.unity3d.com and download the free IDE. There are plenty of great resources for learning to use Unity online, and the IDE comes with an extensive sample project and tutorial.

Arduino

If physical projects are more your thing, you can write programs that control devices in the real world, using a microcontroller like Arduino or Raspberry Pi. These microcontrollers feature small, inexpensive processors and can be programmed from your computer. By wiring the microcontroller to electronics including motors, sensors, and lights, you can build anything, from a robot to a sous vide machine

An Arduino board features a microcontroller chip, along with input and output ports to hook it into any project.

An Arduino board features a microcontroller chip, along with input and output ports to hook it into any project.

Arduino in particular has an excellent collection of documentation and tutorials. You can find a basic Arduino UNO board at Adafruit.com, Sparkfun.com, or Makershed.com for as little as $25-$30, and you can download the IDE (which comes with a whole load of sample scripts) at www.arduino.cc. The IDE uses the C programming language, which is more difficult than JavaScript, but the documentation is good and the actual programming required for Arduino projects tends to be very straightforward.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start making something!

Valve Gives Publishers Tools to Self-Discount Games

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 12:12 PM PST

Steam SaleGet ready for even more discounts

One thing you can't accuse Valve of being is stingy with its Steam platform. It seems there's always a Steam sale going on, making it easy to add to your games collection quicker than you can actually play through your titles. Well, guess what? If you thought Steam sales were frequent now, they could become even more commonplace now that Valve is allowing publishers to self-discount their games.

Valve announced new Steamworks tools for developers that will let them issue discounts whenever and however they like. According to the announcement sent out the Steamworks community group (and reposted on Reddit), developers can opt in or take part in upcoming week-long sales, select from upcoming promotions, and configure their own discount amount and date up to two months in advance.

"You will be asked to enter in the dates it should run, up to a two-week maximum, and the percentage to discount by," the announcement reads.

One of the concerns that popped up in the Reddit thread was that some of the better games could get buried under indie titles that run constant discounts. However, the Steamwork FAQ states that discounts must be spaced at least 2 months apart.

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Barnes and Noble to Release Another Nook Color Tablet

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 11:50 AM PST

NookB&N hasn't given up on its Nook division

As 2013 came and went, there was nary a new Nook tablet in sight. It would be easy to assume Barnes and Noble had given up on tablet hardware, but apparently that's not the case. Instead, Barnes and Noble confirmed it's planning to release a new Nook model sometime this year, though details are sparse -- about the only thing we know is that it's going to be a color device (tablet) as opposed to a black and white model (e-reader).

"We remain committed to delivering world-class reading experiences to our customers through our reading centric e-Ink and color reading devices," B&N said in a statement. "The company is actively engaged in discussions with several world-class hardware partners related to device development as well as content packaging and distribution. As a result, we plan to launch a new Nook color device in early fiscal 2015."

B&N's fiscal 2015 runs through this summer, though the lack of details makes us think a Nook tablet will make a debut towards the end of summertime rather than within the next couple of months.

The company's Nook division made $157 million for the quarter, down more than 50 percent compared to a year ago. Device and accessories sales were $100 million for the quarter, down nearly 59 percent compared to last year. To rationalize its Nook business and contend with sagging sales, B&N said it made certain changes within its organization, including job eliminations after the quarter ended.

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Twitter Returns Hijacked @N Handle Worth $50,000 Back to Owner

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 09:33 AM PST

Hiroshima @N TwitterBizarre hacking incident comes to a happy conclusion

Naoki Hiroshima, original owner of the @N handle on Twitter, claims he routinely fielded offers for his coveted username, including one that was as high as $50,000. People have also tried to steal the rare username from him, though those attempts were unsuccessful until a hacker applied some social engineering skills to ultimately force him to hand it over. It's a bizarre story that involves ineptitude on the part of both GoDaddy and PayPal, though there's a happy ending -- Hiroshima has his username back.

"This is a happy ending not only for me but also for sane employees and loyal users of Twitter's. Congrats to those, too," Hiroshima tweeted out with his original username.

Part of the reason Hiroshima's made headlines is because of the way the hacker managed to gain control of his account. He did it by first calling PayPal and using some "very simple engineering tactics" to gain the last four digits of Hiroshima's credit card. He then called GoDaddy and told them he lost his card but remembered the last four digits, which ultimately allowed him to gain control of Hiroshima's account and his domains.

"It's hard to decide what's more shocking, the fact that PayPal gave the attacker the last four digits of my credit card number over the phone, or that GoDaddy accepted it as verification," Hiroshima wrote in a blog post.

That's the condensed version of what happened (check out Hiroshima's blog post for a full account of events), but short and to the point, the hacker used the hijacked domains to extort the @N handle from Hiroshima. GoDaddy has since said it would review its policies to prevent those types of incidents from happening again, while PayPal essentially buried its head in the sand.

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Qualcomm Gives Birth to 64-bit Snapdragons with Eight Cores, Integrated LTE

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:24 AM PST

Qualcomm SnapdragonNew top-end mobile chips from Qualcomm bring the boom

Qualcomm just threw down the gauntlet in the mobile handset space by announcing some potent parts. More specifically, Qualcomm unveiled its Snapdragon 610 and Snapdragon 615 chipsets for high-end smartphones. According to Qualcomm, the 615 part is the world's first commercial octa-core solution with integrated LTE and 64-bit capabilities, while the 610 offers the same in a quad-core package.

Both Snapdragon chipsets use the same Adreno 405 GPU found in Qualcomm's premium Snapdragon 800 tier. The Adreno 405 offers support for DirectX 11.2, Open GL ES3.0, Full Profile Open CL, quad high-definition (2560x1600) displays, and Miracast for wireless streaming of multimedia content.

"Qualcomm Technologies is redefining the user experience for high-end mobile devices by amassing the unparalleled trilogy of an industry-leading LTE modem, 64-bit multicore processing, and superior multimedia," said Murthy Renduchintala, executive vice president, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., and co-president, QCT. "64-bit processing capabilities are now an industry requirement for this tier, and we are meeting our customers' needs with both octa- and quad-core configurations, as well as bringing our superior Adreno 405 graphics and powerful suite of connectivity technologies to the Snapdragon 600 family of chipsets."

Qualcomm also introduced its Snapdragon 801 processor, the newest model in the 800 series. Compared to the 800, it offers improved graphics and gaming, higher quality imaging with support for larger and faster camera sensors, better image post-processing, and a few other upgrades.

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Windows 8 Designer Offers Candid Explanation of Metro and Why Power Users Hate It

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 07:12 AM PST

Windows 8 Start ScreenMetro is the antithesis for power users

To put it bluntly, "Metro is shit for power users." Those are the words of Jacob Miller, a UI designer for Windows 8 who lunged into a Reddit bash fest of Windows 8 that began with a discussion of how many licenses have been sold to date. To be clear, Miller's intent was not to pile on the Windows 8 hate, but to clarify why Metro exists. To do that, he wanted to start from common ground before going down the rabbit hole, hence his opening comment.

To sum it up, Miller said Metro exists as a content consumption space. It's for casual users who are really only interested in doing things like updating their statuses on Facebook, viewing photos, and "maybe posting a selfie to Instagram." He tossed out examples of your computer illiterate little sister and your mom who only wants to look up recipes.

"That is what Metro is. It is the antithesis of a power user," Miller explains. "A power user is a content creator. They have multiple things open on multiple monitors -- sometimes with multiple virtual machines with their own nested levels of complexity."

Miller then explained how before Windows 8, casual users and content creators had to hare the same space, kind of like a one-size-fits-all tuxedo that isn't tailored towards any specific group. As a result, many features were cut from previous versions of Windows.

"So why make Metro the default? And why was there no way to boot to desktop in Windows 8.0? The short answer is because casual users don't go exploring," Miller said. "If we made desktop the default as it has always been, and included a nice little Start menu that felt like home, the casual users would never have migrated to their land of milk and honey."

The good news for power users is that the casual crowd now knows about their new home, so now Microsoft can "start tailoring." Miller admits it will take some time for power users to see the benefits and that there's a lot of work left to do, but over time, the desktop will become more advanced and have things added to it that Microsoft couldn't add before, perhaps even multiple desktops like OSX and Linux have.

"Things will be faster, more advanced, and craftier than they have in the past -- and that's why Metro is good for power users," Miller concludes.

Check out his full (and surprisingly candid) explanation, and then let us know in the comments section below if it affects how you view Metro. Also, kudos to Daily Tech for digging this up on Reddit.

Image Credit: Flickr (Ceo1O17)

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Newegg Daily Deals: Nvidia Shield, Adata Premier Pro SP9 256GB SSD, and More!

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:06 AM PST

Nvidia Shieldnewegg logo

Top Deal:

Nvidia's Shield handheld is unique in that it's a rather powerful Android device at its core (Tegra 4 SoC clocked at 1.9GHz) but is also capable of streaming PC games from your desktop over Wi-Fi. We spent some hands-on time with the Shield, and while it's not perfect, it's a decent overall portable. Plus, it's less expensive now than when we reviewed it. The value proposition is even higher as today's top deal, which features the Nvidia Shield for $250 with free shipping and free Newegg $25 Gift Card with purchase. To recap, the Shield sports a 5-inch 720p Retinal display, 802.11n 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi connectivity, mini-HDMI output, and a few other tidbits.

Other Deals:

Corsair HX1050 1050W ATX12V / EPS12V 80 Plus Gold Certified Modular Power Supply for $180 with free shipping (normally $210 - use coupon code: [EMCPHHE25]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate)

CM Storm Trooper - Gaming Full Tower Computer Case for $120 with free shipping (normally $150 - use coupon code: [EMCPHHE55]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate)

Adata Premier Pro SP9 2.5" 256GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive for $125 (normally $130 - use coupon code: [EMCPHHE54])

Asus Black 23-inch 1ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor for $130 with free shipping (normally $170 - use coupon code: [EMCPHHE49]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate)
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMO Updates

MMO Updates

MMO Mechanics: Procedural generation is the future

Posted: 26 Feb 2014 09:00 AM PST

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

MMO Mechanics title image
MMOs are infamous for the exorbitant amount of both time and money that is required to make a fantastic end product. Much of this effort and expenditure goes into producing very specific content such as leveling zones, quest chains, and dungeons. The classic themepark MMO in which all the rides are carefully engineered and maintained is compelling for a time, but the content therein tends to take longer to create than it does to exhaust. This invariably leads to redundant content that ends up on the scrapheap once it has been enjoyed for a time.

Procedural generation corrects much of this redundancy by providing essentially limitless variations of content, adding replayability and variety to the usual MMO repertoire. It also opens up some unique mechanics, like Elite: Dangerous' planned procedurally generated galaxy that is a full-scale replica of the Milky Way.

In this week's MMO Mechanics, I will look at how the genre is evolving because of how accessible procedural generation techniques have become to developers. I'll also explore how this might affect the future of MMOs by examining the mechanics that upcoming titles will incorporate.

Continue reading MMO Mechanics: Procedural generation is the future

MassivelyMMO Mechanics: Procedural generation is the future originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Turbine outlines the path ahead for LotRO and DDO

    Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:30 AM PST

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    LotRO
    Coming hot on the heels of yesterday's revelation about the future of Asheron's Call, Turbine posted a pair of producer's letters this morning to talk about where Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons and Dragons Online are heading.

    Aaron Campbell has moved back to the LotRO team to be its executive producer and said that Update 13 will be coming soon. In Update 13, there will be a revamp of North Downs, additional quests in Fangorn Forest, support for multiple attachments in mail, and a new epic book that allows you to play as an Ent. "We're pressing forward to Gondor," Campbell promised. "We're digging in deep (but not too deep) to continue the journey through Middle-earth."

    As for DDO, Franchise Director Athena Peters said the team is getting ready to push out Update 21 on March 10th but is also looking beyond that to the second update of 2014. Update 22 will expand Three Barrel Cove into epic levels and add new guild airship amenities.

    MassivelyTurbine outlines the path ahead for LotRO and DDO originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Art of Wushu: Finishing the job

    Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

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    Last episode, we talked about getting a bounty and the mindset of a career criminal. Unfortunately, this is the last Art of Wushu, but that doesn't mean we can't finish what we started. And that means talking about the art of killing good guys.

    Having a bounty means living on the edge. A lot of the time we take for granted the fact that we can walk around in Chengdu without too much fear. This is not true if you have a bounty. Every moment you spent logged in is spent on edge because a constable could jump you at any moment. You are constantly doing 360 degree camera spins looking around for trouble. You position yourself where you can easily run away, and you have escape plans in your head if things go bad. You worked really hard for your bounty, and you don't want to lose it because you lost focus for a moment.

    This kind of thrill is the most satisfying thing for me about Age of Wushu. When I get to log in, have that bright red star swirling around me and know that I need to be on the move immediately is the best feeling in the world for me.

    Continue reading The Art of Wushu: Finishing the job

    MassivelyThe Art of Wushu: Finishing the job originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Mark Jacobs talks character aging: Nixed in Warhammer Online, planned for Camelot Unchained

      Posted: 26 Feb 2014 07:00 AM PST

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      Players who were disappointed when the character aging feature was cut from the release of (the now defunct) Warhammer Online can look forward to seeing it implemented in Camelot Unchained. Mark Jacobs, an instrumental man in the creation of both games, talked with Eurogamer about that system and how it got scrapped as well as delved into the details of how it will work in CU.

      Basically, the system would allow players to visually judge the veteran status of others and therefore their threat both up close and from a distance. For instance, a larger-than-normal Greenskin or a Dwarf with a very long beard would signify a player who is more experienced and likely tougher. Jacobs relayed that he was never even informed that the feature was actually removed from the game and only discovered it when a beta tester inquired about it, noting "Nobody was more embarrassed than me when I had to say that that feature of the game had to be removed."

      The feature is not dead, however, and will make its appearance in Camelot Unchained. What does that mean for players? In CU, the changes will be more than cosmetic, they will actually be meaningful in the world. Jacobs added,
      "There will be some downside to aging, but there will also be a greater amount of upsides, because we want it to be a net-positive experience for the player. However, players won't have to worry about getting old to the point of major gimping [becoming not as effective] of their characters, or worse, perma-death, as that would simply be no fun."

      MassivelyMark Jacobs talks character aging: Nixed in Warhammer Online, planned for Camelot Unchained originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Choose My Adventure: Riding into the sunset in EverQuest

      Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:00 AM PST

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      Choose My Adventure: Riding into EverQuest's sunset
      No matter how much I want to hang on, no one can manage to forever; this wild Choose My Adventure bronc is just about to buck me right off, freeing the saddle for yet another rider. But woooeee, what a ride we've had together! From the jailbreak of Gloomingdeep Mine to the infamous Battle of Big Badgers, we've gotten a taste of gaming on the EverQuest frontier. And thanks to ya'll, it's been an adventure worth having.

      But the show ain't over quite yet! Before I grab my ten-gallon hat and ride off into the sunset, we've got some unfinished business to attend to. Ya'll told me to go out and poke through the native EQ dwellings, which I surely did. I even got me my own little spread. So come on in to my home on the Norrathian range and sit a spell while we chew the fat and I share the impressions of the run I've wrangled up just for ya'll.

      Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Riding into the sunset in EverQuest

      MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Riding into the sunset in EverQuest originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: What are the funniest names you've seen?

        Posted: 26 Feb 2014 05:00 AM PST

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        CoH
        Recently on the podcast we were chatting about hilarious names that cropped up in City of Heroes back in the day. The puns! Oh, the puns! It was simply glorious.

        The truth here is that I love being amused by a really clever and funny name. In some games, a name is the biggest point of external customization offered (sadly), and I never stop being amazed what folks come up with.

        So what are some of the funniest, punniest, or most clever player names that you've seen? And yes, comments section, you can point at yourself if you need the validation. I won't blame ya.

        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 the funniest names you've seen? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Stream Team: Advancing through solo dungeons in EQII

          Posted: 25 Feb 2014 06:00 PM PST

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          EverQuest II's Tears of Veeshan expansion added quite a few Advanced Solo dungeons to the already decently sized list, and Massively's MJ hasn't been able to visit them all yet. With so many interesting places to explore, she's going to drop in and try her hand at a new one tonight. With any luck, she'll have a live comrade alongside her instead of the fickle and sometimes amusing antics of her mercenary. Join us live at 9:00 p.m. to watch the adventure unfold.

          Game: EverQuest II
          Host: MJ Guthrie
          Date: Tuesday, February 25th, 2014
          Time: 9:00 p.m. EST

          Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

          Continue reading The Stream Team: Advancing through solo dungeons in EQII

          MassivelyThe Stream Team: Advancing through solo dungeons in EQII originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Feb 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #40-31

            Posted: 25 Feb 2014 03:00 PM PST

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            RuneScape
            MMO main themes hold the potential to be some of the most powerful and magical pieces of music, partly because we associate them with particular games more than anything else. A great theme will dredge up intense memories or euphoria by the third note, and I see composers putting in their all with many of these themes.

            A long time ago I did an MMO theme countdown of 20 tracks, but since then I've heard a lot more and have wanted to do the list all over again. So this week in Jukebox Heroes, we're kicking off a countdown of the top 40 MMO themes -- in my opinion, of course. I listened to over 150 themes and spent hours ranking them to create this list.

            Because these choices are bound to be a little controversial and stir up debate (which is encouraged!), I set down a few rules that I wanted to share here. I limited myself to just one theme from a particular title, even if there were multiple themes in a game. Entries had to be a main theme or the closest equivalent of that; they had to be from MMOs, not from MOBAs; and I had to divorce my weighting of the track itself from the popularity of and my experience with that game. So no points added or subtracted based on the love of the game; I'm counting down the best music, period. Let's see what numbers 40 through 31 have in store for us!

            Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #40-31

            MassivelyJukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #40-31 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Feb 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              DCUO update brings feat unlocking and moon PvP

              Posted: 25 Feb 2014 02:00 PM PST

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              DCUO
              DC Universe Online rolled out Game Update 34 today, bringing with it a powerful feat unlocking system for players with multiple characters and a trip to the moon.

              Feat unlocking allows players to spend replay badges to unlock feats attained by an account's characters for other characters on the same account. There are a few limitations, such as being unable to unlock feats that are specific to roles or alignment that conflict with specific characters. The pricing for feat unlocking is one replay badge for a 10-point feat, three badges for a 25-point feat, and five badges for a 50-point feat.

              Today's update also brought with it a new green aura, additional items at tier vendors, new HQ map markers, an update for sorcery pets, new feats for DLC 9 content, and a 5v5 PvP map that just so happens to take place on the moon. As they say, that's one small step for Superman, one giant leap for playerkind.

              MassivelyDCUO update brings feat unlocking and moon PvP originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Feb 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Flameseeker Chronicles: Meeting fun halfway in Guild Wars 2

              Posted: 25 Feb 2014 01:00 PM PST

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              Mourning LA
              Lion's Arch is gone. What's left of our city is rubble and fire and the echoing screams of terrified survivors. The day Scarlet Briar's army attacked dawned clear and mild; by the end the sky was choked with smoke, poison, and the silhouette of Scarlet's massive drill ship. Thousands of people died, are dying, and will continue to die -- all we can do for now is to try to save as many as we can.

              Escape From Lion's Arch is a truly impressive piece of storytelling and atmospheric set design, and I found it immediately comparable to similar missions in games like BioWare's Mass Effect series. I've never really played anything like it in an MMO, and I think ArenaNet has done a wonderful job of capturing the feeling of a city under attack. It's been a bittersweet time for fans of Guild Wars 2; as I discussed last week, roleplayers have responded to the release with a flurry of creative activity, and the general consensus seems to be that the story, dialogue, atmosphere and artwork are all excellent -- if only we weren't forced to mindlessly farm for loot! Wait, we're what?

              Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Meeting fun halfway in Guild Wars 2

              MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Meeting fun halfway in Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Feb 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Asheron's Call limits updates, goes free, and plans player-run servers

                Posted: 25 Feb 2014 12:30 PM PST

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                AC
                Once Turbine applies a March 4th update to Asheron's Call, the studio plans to move the game into maintenance mode -- with benefits.

                Producer Severlin dropped the news on the forums today: "Once this next update is in the hands of the players, the updates to Asheron's Call will be limited. We intend to fix critical bugs and continue maintenance and support on the game. While there is always a chance we will put out a small update if time permits, players should have the expectation that updates will be limited to maintenance, bug fixes, and perhaps balance iterations of February content such as the new Coliseum."

                Severlin elaborated that "this change of focus is necessary for the company." Asheron's Call is perhaps best-known for its monthly story updates that have gone out since the game went live in 1999.

                The good news is that Turbine says there are no plans to close the game and will be working to make both Asheron's Call and Asheron's Call 2 free in the near future: "We are working on a date in the not-to-distant future where all active accounts will be able to play the game for free. Asheron's Call and Asheron's Call 2 will be a gift to our loyal players."

                Also, Turbine is starting an initiative to allow player-run servers by the end of the year. "Our intent is to help these players build a community so these processes can be created and distributed to people interested in running an Asheron's Call game," Severlin said.

                [Thanks to Padre for the tip!]

                MassivelyAsheron's Call limits updates, goes free, and plans player-run servers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Feb 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                The Stream Team: Facing facers in FFXIV's Sunken Temple of Qarn

                Posted: 25 Feb 2014 12:00 PM PST

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                In every MMO there's one dungeon that heralds the end of sleeping on your keyboard being a valid combat strategy, and, in Final Fantasy XIV, that dungeon is The Sunken Temple of Qarn. These ruins come complete with triggering platforms, murderous bees, deadly lasers, and boss fights sporting hefty, nonnegotiable "don't stand there" phases. Join Massively's Jasmine live at 3:00 p.m. EST for her absolute least favorite dungeon in all of Eorzea!

                Game: Final Fantasy XIV
                Host: Jasmine Hruschak
                Date: Tuesday, February 25st, 2014
                Time: 3:00 p.m. EST

                Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

                Continue reading The Stream Team: Facing facers in FFXIV's Sunken Temple of Qarn

                MassivelyThe Stream Team: Facing facers in FFXIV's Sunken Temple of Qarn originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Feb 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  ArcheAge Russia struggles with overloaded queues

                  Posted: 25 Feb 2014 11:30 AM PST

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                  ArcheAge's recent launch in Russia has not gone completely smoothly, as overloaded and somewhat unstable servers have struggled to accommodate those interested in trying out the fantasy sandbox.

                  A post on the official Russian website says that XLGAMES is working hard to bring new servers online in order to reduce the queue. The team is also looking at ways for players to transfer characters from full servers to the new ones, but this may take time and further testing.

                  "Developers continue to work to improve the function of the client and working on priority entrance to the server for premium account holders," the team posted. It informed players that those trying to stay logged in while AFK will be "forcibly disconnected" going forward.

                  The free-to-play game is rumored to have brought in $10 million so far from its Russian launch.

                  MassivelyArcheAge Russia struggles with overloaded queues originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Feb 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Elder Scrolls Online inviting 'millions' for stress test while fretting over sub model

                  Posted: 25 Feb 2014 11:00 AM PST

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                  ESO
                  This looks to be a big weekend for The Elder Scrolls Online's beta program, as ZeniMax is "inviting millions" for a scale test.

                  ESO invitees will also receive an extra code for a friend and an exclusive monkey vanity pet for launch. The studio noted that the NDA will not be in effect for this weekend's test, meaning that any public discussion, screenshots, or videos are fair game.

                  In a conversation with CVG, Bethesda VP of PR Pete Hines said that there is some anxiety in the company over the subscription model not taking hold for ESO but hopes that players will find the value of the game worth the monthly payment.

                  "We feel like this approach is going to give people who want to play the best value, and reason to look forward to the next new thing that's coming out," Hines explained. "The Elder Scrolls is our crown jewel and it's the series that made everything we do possible, so it's a big triple-A title that demands huge, ongoing triple-A support."

                  MassivelyElder Scrolls Online inviting 'millions' for stress test while fretting over sub model originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Feb 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Hyperspace Beacon: The end of a SWTOR season

                  Posted: 25 Feb 2014 10:00 AM PST

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                  Hyperspace Beacon: The end of a SWTOR season
                  Uncle Owen talked about Luke staying on for another season, but when you're on a desert planet, what does that mean exactly? More importantly, can you imagine what would have happened if Lars had allowed Luke to leave for the Academy -- the Imperial Academy, I might add -- with his friend Biggs Darklighter? We would have a completely different story and certainly a far different Luke Skywalker.

                  BioWare developers slated the end of Star Wars: The Old Republic PvP season one to coincide with the launch of Update 2.7, which hits servers on April 8th. With that, the SWTOR leaderboards will reset and bring a few other changes. I think the biggest surprise for everyone is the ranked rewards for the end of season one. These rewards have hit extremely late in the season, which could give some players an unfair advantage in ranked warzones, sparking the question, "Should I stay on the moisture farm or try to jump into PvP to nab these rewards?" Or maybe there's another option -- a Ben Kenobi out in the Dune Sea, if you will.

                  Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: The end of a SWTOR season

                  MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: The end of a SWTOR season originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Feb 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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