General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Report: Intel Prepping Low-Cost Thunderbolt Controller for Early 2012

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 10:03 PM PDT

Intel introduced the world to the next generation of Thunderbolt controllers at IDF 2011 recently. We were told that the next-generation controllers, codenamed "Cactus Ridge," will be available next year when chips based on the Ivy Bridge architecture begin shipping. But a fresh rumor suggests that the two Cactus Ridge chipsets revealed earlier in the month aren't the only Thunderbolt controllers that Intel has lined up.

If VR Zone is to be believed, Intel has a third, much smaller controller in the pipeline that should enter production before the end of 2011 and reach vendors in early 2012. Reportedly called Port Ridge, it is said to be a low-cost, low power chip with one 10Gbps bi-directional channel that lacks support for pass-through connectivity, making it ideal for small mobile devices.

According to the report, Port Ridge will have the smallest package size (5x6mm) of all the controllers. All other controllers, whether those currently available or the ones in the pipeline, have much larger package sizes and feature either two or four Thunderbolt channels.

Image Credit: Cnet

Firefox 8 Hits Beta Channel, Brings Twitter Search

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 09:27 PM PDT

Time and browser updates wait for no one. Even though Firefox 7's reign as the latest stable release of the browser is just two days old, the countdown to version 8 has already begun. Firefox 8 is now available in the beta channel for testing on Windows, Mac, Linux and Android.

If Mozilla focused on reducing the browser's memory appetite while developing Firefox 7, it's all about delivering a more convenient browsing experience with version 8. "This beta adds features and user interface elements that make browsing easier and tools that help developers build more secure and innovative Web experiences," Mozilla wrote in a blog post.

With the latest beta, Twitter search finally gets its rightful place in the pantheon of web services included in the browser's built-in search box by default. If that does not excite you, now you can restore tabs on demand, "resulting in faster start-up times when windows with lots of tabs are restored." This feature can be enabled by going to the General Tab under Options. According to Mozilla, tabs are now easier to "tear off" thanks to "animated tab movement."

The beta also packs a number of developer-specific enhancements:

  • CORS for WebGL textures: Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) enables Web developers to load textures from other domains for WebGL in a secure way.
  • WebSockets updates: Firefox now prevents the use of plaintext WebSockets when created from an SSL page, which improves security for users.
  • HTML5 Native Right Click Menu: Web developers can now add items directly to the Firefox right click menu using simple HTML5 markup.
  • HTML5 media elements: Developers can add a lot of video and audio elements to a website without impacting performance.

 

Psystar Vows to Fight on After Appeals Court Upholds Permanent Injunction

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 04:05 PM PDT

A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday dealt an almost mortal blow (more on the "almost" after the jump) to former hackintosh vendor Psystar's remaining chances of a comeback in its legal battle against Apple. Dismissing Psystar's appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld a 2009 district court decision to award Apple a permanent injunction against Psystar's infringement of Mac OS X.

Even though this latest decision seems like a coup de grĂ¢ce for Psystar, the Miami-based company's lawyer K.A.D. Camera insists it's "far from over" and there's "at least one more round, perhaps two." Psystar could file a petition for rehearing en banc, asking the Ninth Circuit to consider a rehearing of the appeal by all the judges on the bench. As per the Ninth Circuit's rules, an en banc court does not comprise all of its judge's but an 11 judge panel.

Another alternative for Psystar is to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. According to Camera, Psystar is seriously considering this option as "the Ninth Circuit is now squarely in conflict with the Fifth Circuit on copyright misuse."

"The Fifth Circuit held that it is copyright misuse to use copyright to limit your software to your hardware, while the Ninth Circuit held that Apple can do just that," Camera told IDG in an interview. "The principal issue in the case is Apple's limiting Mac OS X to its own hardware. But this is more than only Psystar. It could determine whether the likes of Dell can sell machines that run OS X."

Image: Psystar

Microsoft Responds to Chrome Malware Confusion, Apologizes

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 02:54 PM PDT

chromeEarlier today we told you that Microsoft Security Essentials was being accused of killing Chrome, and now we have the details. Turns out Redmond totally messed up on this one. Security Essentials was indeed removing or blocking Chrome on many users' PCs. After scrambling for most of the day, Microsoft has a fix available.

Users of Security Essentials should manually update the software, which will change the signatures that were identifying Chrome as the ZeuS trojan. After that is done, everything should reinstall fine. Microsoft says that about 3000 users were affected to their knowledge, but many users likely didn't kick up a fuss.

We certainly understand that the damage was minimal, but there are a lot of unhappy Chrome users out there today. It's inevitable that some people will half-jokingly claim that Redmond did it on purpose, but we're betting it was incompetence plain and simple. 

Google Goes Retail in London Town

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 02:35 PM PDT

chromebookGoogle has spent most if its existence being an innovative web company, but the search giant has just jumped into a decidedly old-business environment: retail stores. Yes, the first ever Google store just opened in London to push ChromeBooks through the holiday season. The so-called "pop-up store" has been erected in PC World, a larger electronics retailer.

It isn't being given the same attention as the first Apple Store, but Google's UK branch is at least willing to acknowledge its existence. "It's something Google is going to play with and see where it leads," said Google's head of UK consumer marketing. most consumers are not comfortable buying laptops online, so having an in-store presence is important when selling people on a cloud-based device like a ChromeBook.

It would be interesting to see Google continue with this in other regions. It's hard to do retail well, but a successful experience can be a boon to consumer sentiment. Do you think Google will open more retail locations, or is this it?

Major Security Hole Uncovered in Samsung Galaxy S II for AT&T

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 02:20 PM PDT

lockWhile reviewing the new Samsung Galaxy S II for AT&T, the folks at BGR noted something unusual. With the right combination of button presses, the device's pattern and PIN lock screens can be bypassed. This makes locking the phone essentially pointless. The real 'uh-oh' here is that AT&T and Samsung were unaware of this flaw, uncovered by a simple reviewer.

To bust into the new AT&T device all you have to do is wake it up, then wait for the lock screen to time out and go back to sleep. Then wake it up again, and the lock screen doesn't even come up; you go right to the home screen. The flaw works on both pattern and PINs, and can only be exploited if the device has been unlock at least once since the last power on, but that's a virtual certainty. 

AT&T and Samsung are both looking into the issues, but have not released any official statements on the matter. We would imagine that a quick OTA update when the device is released will fix everything, but it's still concerning. Do you think AT&T will tell buyers about the bug if it isn't fixed in time?

Cool Site of the Week: QuestionsProtect.org

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 11:56 AM PDT

houseAsk an economist what a recession is, and you'll be told that it's a period of contraction during a given business cycle, often signaled by a slow down in economic activity. Now, ask the same question of members of your family, your neighbors or friends. Chances are, you'll find there's at least someone you know who'll say a recession was responsible for their being laid off, the loss of their retirement funds or even their homes. As if the these fiscal hard times the world is going through weren't already rough enough, unscrupulous bankers, mortgage brokers and other financial vultures have been licking their chops in anticipation over the possibility of getting their rat claws on our hard-earned assets at the first sign of our weakness or despair. While it's not capable of outright saving your home, the National Fair Housing Alliance's QuestionsProtect.org arms consumers with the tools they need to defend it.

 QuestionsProtect.org provides consumers with the knowledge and understanding required to avoid the financial pitfalls that could deprive them of one of their most valuable assets: Their homes.

In an effort to educate the site's visitors on important topics like predatory lending, mortgage fraud and foreclosure scams, the National Fair Housing Alliance provides a wide range of resources in both in English and Spanish to aid consumers looking to purchase their first home, as well as those looking to keep the one they've lived in for years. If that's not cool, we don't know what is.

Be sure to check in every Friday for another edition of Maximum PC's Cool Site of the Week.

 

 

DRAM Market Debacle Takes Toll on Micron

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 11:48 AM PDT

Micron this week announced financial results for its fourth fiscal quarter and 2011 fiscal year ended September 1, 2011, and the numbers aren't pretty. The company's revenue from DRAM in the third quarter dropped 12 percent compared to Q3, a slump Micron said was the result of declines in the average selling prices. Revenue from sales of NAND flash products picked up some of the slack and grew 11 percent, but doesn't have enough volume to make up for the downturn in DRAM.

There are a number of reasons why Micron's DRAM business is struggling. The biggest one is a continued oversupply of DRAM chips, a situation Micron warned will negatively affect its margins going forward, Reuters reports. Lower than expected PC sales growth is also playing a role.

Rising NAND flash sales only provide a modicum of relief. According to Reuters, NAND accounts for only about 25 percent of Micron's sales, whereas DRAM makes up more than half.

"DRAM is going to be problematic for them for the next several quarters," Avian Securities analyst Win Cramer told Reuters. "I don't think anytime in the near term NAND would be completely able to offset DRAM problems."

Image Credit: Micron

IBM Leapfrogs Microsoft in Market Value for First Time in 15 Years

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 11:20 AM PDT

Walk past an IBM board room and you might hear cries of "Huzzah!" Big Blue has reason to celebrate as it just became the second highest valued technology company in the world. IBM had to step over Microsoft to claim the No. 2 spot, something it hasn't been able to do for the past 15 years.

According to Bloomberg's figures, IBM's market value jumped to $214 billion yesterday. Microsoft moved in the opposite direction and was worth $213.2 billion at the closing bell. Based on those figures, IBM is the fourth biggest company in the world, as it pertains to market value, and sits behind only Apple in the technology sector.

Apple's lead isn't in danger. The Cupertino outfit surpassed Microsoft last year in market value and boasted a $362.1 billion market cap at yesterday's close. With iEverything devices selling like gangbusters, Apple will likely lead the technology pack for a long while.

Image Credit: MammothIce.com.au

Reports: Microsoft AV Erasing Google Chrome

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 10:55 AM PDT

Mighty funny timing, Microsoft. Just yesterday, we reported that Google's Chrome browser was threatening to overtake Firefox in the coming months thanks to soaring usage rates caused, in large part, by FF and IE defectors. Then, this morning, Internet forums are awash with rage because a new update to Microsoft's Security Essentials and ForeFront AV software began calling Chrome a Trojan and erasing it from users machines. Coincidence? Yeah, it probably is. But that still doesn't change the fact that users are pissed.

Both ZDNet and The Register are reporting that they've received numerous complaints about the critical false positive. The AV programs are identifying Chrome as part of the ZeuS Trojan, and users who try to reinstall the browser are finding that the antivirus program won't let them, citing "PWS:Win32/Zbot" as a severe threat. Register readers are reporting that the beta version of Chrome isn't affected, nor are browsers that are configured to not send Google any information.  Nobody's saying anything official at the moment – both Google and Microsoft have been mum on the matter.

So, has any of you been affected by the bug? Chime in with your experiences in the comments! I've got Chrome and MSE installed on my laptop, and nothing fishy has gone on yet.

MMO News

MMO News


Combat Arms launches Remaster

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 06:07 PM PDT

The second part of the Fusion update line for Combat Arms, “Remaster,” is now live.

The update features a new line of weapons in the Gun Emporium Gold (fused together from other weapons), and players will be able to forge together new weapons to improve gun statitistics. The Emporium’s interface has also been streamlined. Also introduced is a new map, Piazza, designed for Search & Destroy: a quiet Italian village where players must defend a recovered EMP bomb.

Combat Arms is published by Nexon, which also publishes Dragon Nest and Vindictus.

combat-arms-operation-dredge-fire

Combat Arms Gameplay Screenshot

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Combat Arms Introduces Second Phase of Fusion, Remaster

Nexon America's Combat Arms is offering players more effective methods to attack each other's clans on an new Italian-themed map with the new Remaster content update.

Players will experience a whole emporium of new weapons with the Remaster update as Bubba Ares introduces the newest line of weapons for the sharp-shooting soldier. Weapons in Gun Emporium Gold will be made up of bits and pieces of various weapons, fused together to form the deadliest weapons to date. Forging weapons allows players to improve specific gun statistics, customizing weapons to individual play styles. Additionally, thanks to player feedback, the Gun Emporium user interface has been streamlined to be faster and easier for anyone to start building customized weapons.

In addition to forging weapons, players can explore the newly added clan-exclusive Search & Destroy map, Piazza. This new map throws players into an Italian village where they must defend a recovered EMP bomb until communication with headquarters can be restored.

For more information about what Remaster is bringing to Combat Arms and other Fusion updates, visit: http://combatarms.nexon.net.

Fiesta Online celebrates four years

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 05:08 PM PDT

Outspark’s Fiesta Online is celebrating its four year anniversary with events and activities.

The celebration begins with a special 100% EXP boost code (2011FiestaTurns4 at outspark.com/redeem), plus a 24% experience boost through the weekend. Plenty of in-game events are available on the calendar, and more events are taking place in the game’s forum, during the celebration.

Outspark also publishes Luvinia Online and Secret of the Solstice (Solstice: Reborn).

fiesta-graphics.jpg

Fiesta Online Gameplay Screenshot

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Fiesta Celebrates Four 4 Years

Four Years of Friends, Fun, and Festivities

SAN FRANCISCO – September 30, 2011 – Fiesta, the fantasy-based Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) powerhouse from Outspark, is having a giant anniversary in honor of four fun-filled and exciting years since launch.

As always, Fiesta and Outspark are doing this anniversary with style, pizzazz, and plenty of events. Outspark wants to celebrate and commemorate the time and effort players have put into the game to help keep the community vibrant and spellbound. This celebration focuses on not just the game, but the community as well. The 4th Anniversary festivities include a variety of events both inside and outside of the game, such as MVP forum events, fansite promotions, and plenty of in-game activities.

"We're pulling out all the bells and whistles for the celebration of our flagship game," commented Philip Yun, CEO of Outspark. "It's great to see how far the game has come over the last four years and think about all of the reasons players have to be celebrating this monumental achievement."

With all the millions of players that have played, Fiesta has also racked up some astronomical numbers when it comes to the game statistics. Here's a few interesting ones:

• Players have dispatched more than 37 million monsters and bosses, which is approximately one monster or boss every 3 seconds.
• Players have accrued over 3.2 quadrillion experience points. If each EXP point was worth 1 US cent, the combined GDP of Fiesta each year ($8 Trillion) would come second only to the US (~$14 Trillion).
• Players have invested a total of 146 million hours into their characters. That's the equivalent of over 70,000 years of work at a normal 9-to-5 job.
• Players have sacrificed their lives more than 17 million times in their protection of Isya, the world of Fiesta.

Fiesta is starting off the celebration with an extra present for players to roar about with a code that pays out a 100% EXP boost and 10 "Roar" emotes to the first 4,444 players who use it at www.outspark.com/redeem. The code is "2011FiestaTurns4". Limit of one redemption per player account.

Join the celebration at http://fiesta.outspark.com or see what the community has been up at http://fiesta.outspark.com/community.

S4 League players challenged to design Season 3

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 11:47 AM PDT

S4 League is hosting a new “Design the Season” contest, where players can enter in ideas for the next Season of S4 League – and see their vision come to life, along with prizes.

S4 League players are asked to enter the contest by submitting ideas for the S4 League: Season 3 storyline, levels, game modes, weapons, costumes, maps, and characters. The winner earns the right to see their ideas developed into the game directly, plus 100,000 AP. All entrants are also entered into a raffle for several prizes across alaplaya games.

Alaplaya also publishes Avalon Heroes and ARGO Online.

s4-league-shot.jpg

S4 League Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

S4 League: Season 3 to Be Designed by Fans

alaplaya Puts Out the Call for Eager Designers with Eyes on a 100,000 AP Prize

MUNICH – September 30, 2011
alaplaya, the leading international free-to-play gaming portal, today announced that popular anime-inspired shooter S4 League will receive a major expansion in 2012… which rests entirely in the hands of the game's community. S4 League: Season 3 will be dreamed up by players the world over, who are invited to submit their ideas in a new "Design the Season" contest. The winner will receive an incredible prize of 100,000 alaplaya Points, as well as the pride of seeing their concept brought to life within the game and played by S4 competitors for years to come.

"We get great suggestions and ideas every single day from our players. They all love S4 League as much as we do, and they're hungry for more," said Achim Kaspers, Managing Director of ProSiebenSat.1 Games. "Right now, nobody knows what kind of new surprises Season 3 will bring, so we're asking our fans to share their speculations and dreams with us and help us build the perfect S4 League update."

Players are encouraged to submit any and all ideas for the Design the Season contest, including the advancement of the S4 League story and the driving force behind the league's changes, as well as concepts for new levels, game modes, weapons, costumes, maps, and characters. The contest winner will receive 100,000 AP, and all entrants will be eligible to win one of ten raffle prizes worth €10 in any alaplaya game. The contest is open until October 7, and details can be found at http://en.alaplaya.net/teasers/36850-design-the-season-3.

For more info about S4 League, visit the official website at http://s4.alaplaya.net/.

Red 5 Studios and Webzen settle dispute

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 11:31 AM PDT

Firefall game developer Red 5 Studios and Webzen have ended a legal dispute over obligations and development costs.

The agreement places publishing and development solely in Red 5 Studios’ hands, including in Asian territories. Meanwhile, Webzen will be compensated for development fees and through future Firefall revenue, although they will lose all publishing and marketing interests in the title.

firefall-team-based

Firefall Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

RED 5 STUDIOS AND WEBZEN HAVE AGREED TO END THE DISPUTE

[Provided by Red 5 Korea] – September 29th, 2011 – Red 5 Studios, Inc. ("Red 5") announced that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Webzen, Inc. to resolve all the legal disputes between them, including withdrawal of all pending legal claims against the other.

Under this agreement, Webzen will receive compensation for the prior development fees paid to Red 5 and also will share in future revenue generated from Red 5's game entitled Firefall for a certain period of time. Red 5 and its affiliated company received the global publishing rights under the settlement agreement. Webzen will no longer be involved in marketing and publishing Firefall in any territory as a result of this agreement.

Mark Kern, CEO of Red 5 Studios said, “Given the resolution of all disputes and conflicts between our two companies I would like to ask for our fans, especially Chinese and Korean gamers,' continuous encouragement and support in Firefall and Red 5.”

Digimon Masters Online Gameplay Part 2 HD

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 11:08 AM PDT

To Learn More About the Game Check out our Digimon Masters Online Page.

Digimon Masters Online is a 3D digimon themed MMORPG published by JoyMax – the same company behind the wildly popular Silkroad Online game. Unlike the much older Digimon Battle, which is published by Wemade, Digimon Masters Online features gorgeous cell-shaded graphics and smooth animations. This is the second video I made for Digimon Masters Online – and it features a bit more actual gameplay and explanation of some of the game’s features. To learn more about Digimon Masters Online check out the official MMOHut Digimon Masters Online page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

Warhammer Online, Wrath of Heroes Gameplay Session! -HD

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 10:55 AM PDT

To Learn More About the Game Check out our Wrath of Heroes Page.

Wrath of Heroes is a 3D Warhammer themed MMO Battle Arena created by Bioware – the same company behind the P2P Star Wars, The Old Republic MMORPG. Wrath of Heroes sheds away the grinding, leveling, and gear-search from its predecessor, Warhammer Online, and lets players jump right into the action. Between multiple scenarios, players can change their hero at the start of the fight and upon each death, choosing from some classic Warhammer classes and combinations. Players are placed in teams of up to six and battle in three-team combat for victory and prestige. Wrath of Heroes is currently in closed beta.  To learn more about Wrath of Heroes check out the official MMOHut Wrath of Heroes page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


EVE adds more racial captain's quarters to test server

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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EVE Online - Gallente captain's quarters
Those of you chafing under the constraints of the Minmatar captain's quarters released earlier this summer as part of EVE Online's Incarna expansion have reason to celebrate. The other three racially themed quarters have just been deployed to Singularity (that's the test server, for you EVE newbs).

When we say racially themed, we don't mean like an Al Sharpton monologue but rather like the Gallente, Caldari, and Amarr races who, along with the Minmatar, make up EVE's four playable factions. A new dev blog hits the highlights of each CQ, and each one boasts a visual aesthetic that mirrors its race.

Gallente quarters, for example, are "are slick and streamlined -- comfort through elegant design. The mirror is also prominent, since the Gallenteans are known to spend a lot of time in front of it." The Minmatar pad has also been tweaked, and you can read all the details at the official EVE website. Before you go, check out the preview video after the cut.

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BioWare open to the possibility of a Mass Effect MMO

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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Mass Effect 2
If you've been one of the vocal crowds demanding that BioWare stop fiddling around with that "Star Wars thing" and get on a Mass Effect MMO as soon as possible, today might be your day of vindication. It turns out that BioWare's co-founders are very much open to the possibility of an online edition of its popular Mass Effect franchise.

Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk recently fielded the ever-popular question in a much more upbeat tone than ever before. Zeschuk says the studio will evaluate a potential Mass Effect MMO in the near future: "You never know. I think once The Old Republic is done, we'll take a fresh look at the market."

"We're focused very much on The Old Republic, Mass Effect 3 and Wrath of Heroes, and all the other things we've announced, and haven't announced, but we also have the opportunity to look at our franchises in a way we haven't ever before. There are lots of new platforms and lots of new business models," Muzyka added.

Mass Effect: The MMO is one of those speculative rumors that seems to never die. Analysts have predicted that such an MMO could top Star Wars: The Old Republic's numbers.

MassivelyBioWare open to the possibility of a Mass Effect MMO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coloring inside the lines: An interview with PlanetSide 2's Tramell Isaac

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 11:30 AM PDT

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PlanetSide 2
I think we're all allowed our moments of pure geek squeeing when we bump into the people responsible for some of our favorite video games of yesteryear. So I had to apologize to Tramell Isaac in advance for gushing over his work on the first two Fallout titles, games that are among my all-time favorites. He didn't seem to mind, and he spent a few minutes shooting the breeze about his favorite designs in the game -- designing Robobrain and the Vault Boy cards that accompanied the player perks.

MMO fans will probably best know Isaac from his work on the original PlanetSide, a project that is near and dear to his heart. Sony Online Entertainment brought him back on board to be the senior art director for PlanetSide 2. This makes sense -- after all, who else would best know how to evolve the series' design than the guy who started it?

Isaac was kind enough to sit down on the phone with me to talk about how PlanetSide 2's visuals are shaping up, following his own blog post on the subject. Hit the jump to find out why each faction is going with a very specific color scheme, how microtransactions will affect how awesome you look, and just what Batman has to do with any of it.

Continue reading Coloring inside the lines: An interview with PlanetSide 2's Tramell Isaac

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    Anarchy Online 'heads' into the future with new screenshots

    Posted: 30 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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    Anarchy Online
    Is Anarchy Online's visual makeover project picking up steam? Considering that Funcom's posted two batches of improved screenshots within a month, there's reason to think so!

    Today Brad "Kintaii" McAtee posted four new pictures of Anarchy Online's upgraded looks. Two are high-definition renders of the city of Tir, one shows off the remodeled character heads, and one is a complete mystery for players to decipher. "Any guesses on what it could be?" McAtee taunts.

    The visual overhaul is "coming along swimmingly," according to McAtee. Last week Anarchy Online's Colin Cragg reported that the team is 90% done with remodeling over 390 heads for the game. "This has been a very long haul, but it is amazing to see the strides made every week now," Cragg wrote. "I am 'cautiously optimistic'...let's leave it at that."

    You can view all of the new screenshots in the gallery below.

    MassivelyAnarchy Online 'heads' into the future with new screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Explore The Old Republic's galaxy (far, far away) in 3-D

    Posted: 30 Sep 2011 10:30 AM PDT

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    Star Wars: The Old Republic
    While Star Wars: The Old Republic has long since displayed its many, many planets on its Holonet page, BioWare's just released a brand-new map that lets you explore the entirety of the galaxy in three dimensions.

    The Galaxy Map serves to give players a good feel for how enormous the Star Wars setting is, as well as where all of these planets stand in relation to each other. While there are billions of star systems, only a handful support life and will be featured in the game proper.

    The map is divided up into five major sectors: Coreward Worlds, Unknown Regions, Seat of the Empire, Hutt Space, and Distant Outer Rim. Players can check out the 17 revealed planets within those sectors, as well as an up close and personal view of each of the six player starships.

    It's important to note that the use of the 3-D galaxy map requires the installation of the Unity web player onto your computer.

    MassivelyExplore The Old Republic's galaxy (far, far away) in 3-D originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Mark Jacobs returns to the gaming industry with City State Entertainment

    Posted: 30 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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    City State group pic
    If you've been around the MMO scene for a while, you'll remember Mark Jacobs as the co-founder of Mythic Entertainment and the force behind Dark Age of Camelot and Warhammer Online.

    He's been out of the gaming industry since his departure from EA, but according to an exclusive interview with Forbes.com, he's back with a new company. "Jacobs revealed that his new company is called City State Entertainment, and [...] the company aims to create games for the mobile, tablet and social networking space," says Forbes.com's Tracey John.

    Mark tells Forbes that social game development allows for a faster development cycle and lower costs, which equals more freedom to simply have fun making games. "We don't have to worry if the hardcore gamers are going to get incredibly upset because we're doing something a certain way. We don't have to worry if our game is going to sell another 20 copies. We're just looking to make fun, enjoyable games."

    Check out the full interview at Forbes.com

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    Age of Conan dev update outlines a year's worth of content

    Posted: 30 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT

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    Age of Conan - concept art
    Age of Conan's latest monthly development update is hot off the presses, and it's kind of a doozy. Funcom game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison takes the gloves off and lists five major updates coming to AoC over the next year -- and he also offers a few disclaimers in terms of schedule changes and dates. As far as content goes, fans can look forward to new Turan boss encounters, the House of Crom dungeon, tier four raids, and a major Dreamworld/quality-of-life update prior to the end of the year.

    Moving into 2012, Age of Conan will be adding a new multi-feat specification system (apparently the feature was a landslide winner in the recent summer survey). The devs will also be giving Priest archetypes some "care and attention," as well as implementing the single-server tech that will allow for cross-server minigames and "all manner of cool things." There will also be new variants on The Breach, The Forgotten City, and Dead Man's Hand dungeons, all balanced for high-level characters.

    Finally, the second quarter of 2012 is the tentative launch date for AoC's latest adventure pack as well as the tradeskill revamp. There's more too, so head to the official website to check it out.

    MassivelyAge of Conan dev update outlines a year's worth of content originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Ultima Online celebrates 14 years

    Posted: 30 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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    Ultima Online ankh
    Happy birthday, Ultima Online! In an era when some games last not even a year and others seek to continually reinvent themselves, the grand-daddy of the genre has made it to 14 years.

    To usher in the anniversary, Mythic Entertainment released publish 72.0 to the live servers last week. The patch introduces another round of the Clean Up Britannia event, which allows players to trash their junk items (thus cleaning up the servers of wasted data) in return for lucrative rewards. The devs also tweaked the Honesty virtue mechanic and added new anniversary gifts that are claimable through Halloween.

    Finally, the UO team has promised a high-resolution art update, one of many graphical overhauls in the game's long history.

    Here's to 14 more, old girl.

    MassivelyUltima Online celebrates 14 years originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Some Assembly Required: How to screw up your sandbox

    Posted: 30 Sep 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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    Some Assembly Required - architectural blueprints
    Between bouts of Global Agenda, Age of Conan, and a stack of single-player games, I've been taking my own advice lately and looking for a new sandbox. The end of Star Wars Galaxies is forcing my hand, and I figured I'd better start now if I don't want to be stuck with nothing to play on December 16th.

    While there is a veritable ton of different sandboxes to choose from, I must admit to being a bit frustrated with nearly all of them. If it's not one thing, it's another, and most are such glaring deficiencies that I can't help but wonder what was going through the minds of the development teams during the construction process. Join me after the cut for a few things you should consider if you're making an MMORPG sandbox.

    Continue reading Some Assembly Required: How to screw up your sandbox

    MassivelySome Assembly Required: How to screw up your sandbox originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: What's your longest MMO lifespan?

      Posted: 30 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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      Meridian 59
      Keeping interest in one MMO is not easy. As soon as that new shiny comes along, we want to go try it out. We want to see what all the fuss is about. It doesn't help that half of our guild probably jumped ship for the newest game, either.

      So sticking with one game for a long period of time is somewhat admirable. Is there one in particular that you've stuck with for years? How about since beta or alpha testing? If not, what's the longest you've stuck with one MMO, either subbed or just playing on a regular basis?

      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's your longest MMO lifespan? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Red 5 Studios and Webzen resolve legal dispute

        Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:00 PM PDT

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        Firefall screenshot
        Remember back in July, when Red 5 Studios was all like, "You're not advertising our upcoming game enough, Webzen!", and then Webzen was all like, "We gave you several million dollars, and we're still waiting for this game you said you're working on!"? Well, it turns out both parties have decided to put the whole thing behind them, and live happily ever after.

        According to a press release, "Webzen will receive compensation for the prior development fees paid to Red 5 and also will share in future revenue generated from Red 5's game entitled Firefall for a certain period of time." This settlement will also give Red 5 complete global publishing rights to Firefall and relieve Webzen of all advertising involvement.

        MassivelyRed 5 Studios and Webzen resolve legal dispute originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Star Wars: The Old Republic accidentally taunts potential testers [Updated]

          Posted: 29 Sep 2011 08:15 PM PDT

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          Neither the writer of this post nor our SWTOR columnist are currently in the beta, for the record.
          What's the worst thing that can happen when you're waiting for a chance to play a highly anticipated game? Being inadvertently taunted about the fact that you aren't in the beta. Star Wars: The Old Republic recently sent out a short survey asking for beta testers to take part, in the hopes of improving the overall testing experience. The only problem was that it wasn't sent out to testers... it was sent out to everyone who had signed up to potentially be a tester.

          A thread on the official forums has already reached absurd length, causing server hiccups and intermittent inability to properly access all areas of the site. It's unknown how BioWare will apologize for this mishap (aside from a mention on their Facebook page) -- certainly it's not hurting anyone, but it's probably the last thing that most people not involved in the current beta would like to see. And if you see this message in your email, rest assured, it's no scam... just poor cross-pollination of mailing lists.

          [Update: BioWare has officially confirmed that the emails were sent in error. "We can't apologize enough for getting your hopes up. Sorry again. Those responsible will endure a thousand years in the Sarlacc Pit," said Stephen Reid over Twitter.]

          MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic accidentally taunts potential testers [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            DC Universe Online lets you prove how legendary you are

            Posted: 29 Sep 2011 08:00 PM PDT

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            Yes, I'm sorry I couldn't find the space for a Barney Stinson reference, too.
            The fact of the matter is that in our minds, all of our characters are legendary. That's kind of the goal of MMOs. But DC Universe Online wants to give you a chance to mark your character as something special, even above and beyond that -- and true to form, the development team is kicking off a contest, asking players to show off their character to be featured in a future issue of DC Universe Online Legends, the game's tie-in comic book.

            Submissions require a shot of the character's front and back, a 50-word description of what makes the character legendary, and of course your account name. The deadline for submissions is October 4th, but you can feel free to submit as many of your characters as you like. So what are you waiting for? Not only will your character be legendary in your own mind, but you'll be able to point to him or her in the comic to show everyone else.

            MassivelyDC Universe Online lets you prove how legendary you are originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Reakktor and gamigo release Black Prophecy tutorial videos

            Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT

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            Black Prophecy - docking tutorial
            If you're having trouble sleeping at night, Reakktor and gamigo have a series of new Black Prophecy tutorial videos that just might do the trick. OK, that's mean, but the producers could stand to work on the monotone voiceover that drones throughout the entirety of three separate clips.

            Happily, the clips themselves are pretty informative, and they cover interface basics, advanced UI features, and basic game functions. If you're new to MMOs or new to the world of Black Prophecy, it's probably worth spending the 10 minutes required to check them out (and of course you can do so after the break). Just make sure you've got a Red Bull instead of a glass of warm milk.

            Continue reading Reakktor and gamigo release Black Prophecy tutorial videos

            MassivelyReakktor and gamigo release Black Prophecy tutorial videos originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The MMO Report: Sincere apologies edition

            Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:30 PM PDT

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            The MMO Report - Casey Schreiner
            This week's MMO Report starts off with a look at Minecraft's latest patch, but since it's not an MMO and we're an MMO website, you'll have to watch the video to get the details. Neener neener.

            Anyhow, host Casey Schreiner kicks off the MMO news with a blurb about Star Wars: The Old Republic's release date before moving on to the neverending brouhaha between Interplay and Bethesda over the Fallout MMO. There's also a bit of commentary relating to Final Fantasy XIV's woes, as well as a recap of CCP's change of heart regarding EVE Online's development focus.

            Finally, no MMO Report would be complete without a dive into the deep, dark recesses of Uncle Casey's mailbag, and this week's edition even features something of an apology from Schreiner. Yeah, we couldn't believe it either. See for yourself after the break.

            Continue reading The MMO Report: Sincere apologies edition

            MassivelyThe MMO Report: Sincere apologies edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Ask Massively: Elephant facts are astonishing edition

            Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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            Elephants are seen here defending Earth against an invasion of the Hawkmen from Regulon-7.
            Elephants, according to Wikipedia, are large land mammals that broadcast Christian contemporary music in the Colorado region. They were first sighted at the 1997 X-Games, at which point they served as architects for Philadelphia's school buildings from 1920 to 1937 with liberal use of a time machine. After winning the 2009 Romanian Figure Skating Championships, these gentle insectoid robots used a collection of treasury notes to finance the filming of several short crime dramas. All of these facts are well-known about elephants, or possibly about several unrelated topics that were viewed via Wikipedia's random article button.

            Now that I've answered all of the questions you didn't have about elephants, it's time for this week's installment of Ask Massively, in which I address an entirely different sort of elephant. If you have a question for a future installment of the column, you can leave it in the comments or mail it along to ask@massively.com.

            Continue reading Ask Massively: Elephant facts are astonishing edition

            MassivelyAsk Massively: Elephant facts are astonishing edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Conquer Online taking itself on to the iPad

              Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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              The ballad of FurnitureNPC is even longer than that of Captain Placeholder.
              Conquer Online took the step toward cross-platform play options not so long ago with the release of a Mac client, but it's moving forward yet again. The game is going to be launching on the iPad as well in the very near future, complete with a touch-based interface and all of the game's existing free-to-play content. While the iPad has seen its share of MMO-style games since its introduction, this is the first time an established game has been ported over to the platform.

              And make no mistake, there are a lot of features available to players, as evidenced by the game guide for players planning on moving in to the iPad version. Take a look past the cut for a trailer previewing the gameplay and mechanics on the tablet, and keep your eyes peeled for the exact release date. It's not quite the World of Warcraft demo someone managed to run on the iPad a few years back, but it's still quite interesting.

              [Source: Press release]

              Continue reading Conquer Online taking itself on to the iPad

              MassivelyConquer Online taking itself on to the iPad originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                The Secret World shares details on sharing stories

                Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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                This portion of the story could have been avoided if you were nicer to Little Sisters.
                While it's not the poster child for story in MMOs, The Secret World is putting a big emphasis on giving players an engaging and in-depth story to enjoy as they unravel conspiracies and search for the truth. A new developer diary by Ragnar Tornquist explains how the story is woven into every element of the game, from the simple introduction of quests right down to the mechanics of fighting enemies.

                Tornquist emphasizes that the entire setting of the game is in many ways based solely upon storytelling, on myths and urban legends and half-remembered stories of youth. One of the development goals for the game is to keep players digging, investigating the story and piecing it together. According to the diary, every mission opens with a fully voiced and motion-captured cinematic, and aside from the main story missions, players can tackle these challenges in any order, allowing for players to have unique stories as they make their way through the labyrinth of half-truths. It's an interesting look behind the curtain, and it should give players looking forward to The Secret World a few more ideas to be excited about.

                MassivelyThe Secret World shares details on sharing stories originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                One Shots: Let's party!

                Posted: 29 Sep 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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                Massively reader Redwense is doing his part to bid farewell to One Shots with a screenshot of a party in Lord of the Rings Online. To accompany this image from the 2010 Yule Festival in the Shire, he noted, "Here's a screenshot to thank Massively for such a wonderful column!"

                Friday will be the last edition of this feature, but don't fret. One Shots is stepping aside to make room for something new here at Massively, and we think you're going to love it. Watch the site beginning Monday, October 3rd to see what we've got planned!

                For now, if you want to make one final contribution to One Shots, you've still got a few days left. Grab your favorite screenshot, add your name and a little bit about the image, send it in to oneshots@massively.com, and we'll feature it in this week's One Shots!

                MassivelyOne Shots: Let's party! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  New Guild Wars Winds of Change content has arrived

                  Posted: 29 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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                  Miku will mess you up
                  Guild Wars fans, have you finished the first 17 quests in Winds of Change? We hope so, because the next round has arrived! The conflict between the Ministry of Purity and the gangs of Kaineng continues with what is being called Guild Wars' largest content expansion to date! The focus moves from eliminating the Afflicted to watching the Ministry rise in power as its motives become more unclear.

                  Part two of Winds of Change will bring 11 new quests, five new respawn zones, and quite a few extra scenes hidden here and there. Players will also encounter a familiar face -- Miku the Assassin from War in Kryta has returned.

                  We're anxious to check out this new content here at Massively, and we've got a surprise Livestream so we can bring you along for the ride. Head to our Livestream channel at 6:00 p.m. EDT today for a first live look at Winds of Change. Even better, some of the ArenaNet team will be joining us in chat to talk over the new content and answer your questions: Lead Designer John Stumme, Programmer Joe Kimmes, Game Designer Andrew Patrick, and QA master John Foreman.

                  Check out the gallery below for some brand-new screenshots, join us at 6:00 EDT for a livestream of some of the new content, and enjoy Winds of Change!

                  MassivelyNew Guild Wars Winds of Change content has arrived originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Behind the Mask: Elite doesn't mean casual

                    Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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                    Back in the early days of Champions Online, there was no difficulty slider. We got stuck playing the same stuff regardless of player or character ability, and often that meant high-skill players and their nigh-invincible god characters smashed through insignificant minions like freight trains. When Serpent Lantern launched, Cryptic added in difficulty settings, beginning at the base normal difficulty and ending at very hard. Later on, the devs added an Elite difficulty, touted to be even tougher than VH.

                    Since then, high-powered heroes have had a way to challenge themselves... sort of. When Serpent Lantern first launched, doing it on VH was reasonably challenging due to the many annoyances (mostly pulson guns) placed in it by the dev team. When players rightfully complained that the pulson guns ripped through well-statted tanks, the devs nerfed the guns and the difficulty became mostly a joke. Normal difficulty is still mostly synonymous with "cakewalk," while Elite is more like "sorta dangerous, maybe."

                    Continue reading Behind the Mask: Elite doesn't mean casual

                    MassivelyBehind the Mask: Elite doesn't mean casual originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      This Week In MMO: Conspiracy edition

                      Posted: 29 Sep 2011 12:30 PM PDT

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                      This Week In MMO: Episode 64
                      It's a new week; It's a new theme song for This Week In MMO. As you know, every week, Gamebreaker.TV hosts a round-table discussion about the latest news in MMOs, inviting different hosts from different media outlets to share their opinions and speculation. This week, everyone's favorite host, Gary "Bing Bong" Gannon, is joined by Mike "the Chinhawk" B and Jason "Red Shirt" Winter.

                      It would not be an episode of TWIMMO if everyone didn't get tinfoil-hat hair. Starting with speculation revolving around the Star Wars: The Old Republic release-date announcement, two of the panel members were convinced that it was directly related to the Diablo 3 2012-pushback announcement. But that's not the only pushback that had our panelists theorizing. According to Gannon, End of Nations may be feeling the SWTOR pressure, too. The Trion Worlds MMO RTS was recently pushed back to 2012 as well. Keep your aluminum brain-barrier intact because our hosts also believe it is possible that CCP's World of Darkness MMO may be going free-to-play.

                      All of this, plus the biggest question on everyone's mind is answered: Could there be a Kim Kardashian MMO and would there be an oiler profession? Check out the full episode of This Week In MMO after the break!

                      Continue reading This Week In MMO: Conspiracy edition

                      MassivelyThis Week In MMO: Conspiracy edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      The Guild Counsel: A closer look at leadership style

                      Posted: 29 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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                      EQII leader on horse
                      There's a little saying that dogs and their masters often tend to resemble one another. That can also be true for guilds and their leaders. The atmosphere and feel of a guild, more often than not, is a mirror of the leader's personality. If a guild is running roughshod across the server, laying waste to the countryside, chances are that it's being led by an aggressive, type A personality. Similarly, if there's a guild that charms the pants off the server and is known for its friendly tone, there's a good chance it has a leader with a matching style.

                      But sometimes, a certain leadership tone can work effectively in some ways and fall flat on its face in others. This week in The Guild Counsel, we'll look at three common leadership styles -- the yeller, the motivational speaker, and the den mother -- to see how each works well and how each can fall short of the mark.

                      Continue reading The Guild Counsel: A closer look at leadership style

                      MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: A closer look at leadership style originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        SG Interactive launching GameRage portal

                        Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:30 AM PDT

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                        Pangya
                        SG Interactive is in the news today thanks to its new GameRage online portal. Who the heck is SG Interactive? Well, the company was originally called Ntreev USA and is headquartered in southern California. It's portfolio includes Trickster Online, Grand Chase, and Pangya, as well as several other free-to-play titles.

                        GameRage will provide centralized contests and events, giving players a sort of one-stop shop for all of the happenings across SG's catalog. There's also a mission zone which allows achievement comparisons across titles, and a reward zone where in-game event winners will be immortalized. GameRage is currently live, and you can sign up at the service's official website.

                        [Source: SG Interactive press release]

                        MassivelySG Interactive launching GameRage portal originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                          Magic Campus beta a success, gamigo announces

                          Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT

                          Filed under: , , , , , , ,

                          Magic Campus - fantasy wallpaper
                          gamigo's new Magic Campus MMO has "passed the beta stage" according to the company's latest press release. The title is a tactical browser-based affair, and gamigo says that players will take on the roles of magicians in training and beast tamers bent on capturing the hundreds of critters that populate the "colorful anime world."

                          The game boasts six classes, turn-based battles against both monsters and other players, and guild and crafting systems designed to offer an alternative to combat. Magic Campus is free-to-play, and you can find out more about it, as well as download the client, at the official website.

                          [Source: gamigo press release]

                          MassivelyMagic Campus beta a success, gamigo announces originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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