General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Intel Adds Seven Sandy Bridge CPUs

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 08:21 PM PST

Intel updated its processor price list on Sunday. While nothing seems to have changed where the prices of existing chips are concerned, a careful look at the updated list reveals that it contains as many as seven new Sandy Bridge processors. Hit the jump for more.

Three of these new chips are quad-core Core i5 CPUs. These are the 3.4GHz Core i5-2550K ($225), 3.2GHz Core i5-2450P ($195) and 3.1GHz Core i5-2380P ($177). The 'P' in the last two names reportedly denotes the absence of an integrated graphics core.

On the mobile front, Intel has released four new Celeron processors, namely the 1.6GHz dual-core Celeron B815 ($86), 1.7GHz single-core Celeron B720 ($70), 1.3GHz dual-core Celeron 867 ($134) and 1.4GHz single-core Celeron 797 ($107). The Celeron 867 and 797 are both ultra-low voltage chips with a TDP of 17W.

Microsoft's Office 15 Technical Preview Program Now Underway

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 08:08 PM PST

The next version of Microsoft's popular office suite, codenamed Office 15, on Monday entered the technical preview phase, allowing a select group of NDA-bound customers to test early builds of the software suite and provide valuable feedback in the process. The launch of the Office 15 Technical Preview Program, a significant development milestone, was announced by PJ Hough, CVP of Development in Microsoft's Office Division, in a post on the Office blogs site.

"At this early point in our development cycle, I'm not able to share too much about Office 15, but I can tell you Office 15 is the most ambitious undertaking yet for the Office Division. With Office 15, for the first time ever, we will simultaneously update our cloud services, servers, and mobile and PC clients for Office, Office 365, Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, Project, and Visio. Quite simply, Office 15 will help people work, collaborate, and communicate smarter and faster than ever before," wrote Hough.

"While the Technical Preview program is already full," according to Hough, "everyone will have the opportunity to try the Office 15 public beta later this summer, and we'll have more to share about the release then." 

In related news, a new rumor suggests that Office 15 for Windows 8 will not get the proper Metro UI treatment. According to The Verge, its sources have revealed to it that the various apps in the next-gen productivity suite will essentially still be traditional Windows desktop apps, and not full "Metro style" apps, despite their overall interface being very touch friendly.

Image Credit: blogsolute

U.S. Law Enforcement Used Warrant to Spy on MegaUpload

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 03:08 PM PST

megaEver since MegaUpload was hit with arrests and seizures last week, everyone has been wondering how the US government managed to get access to internal communications between the company's founders. Most of the incriminating conversations cited in the indictment are Skype IMs that would have long been purged from Skype's servers. According to Cnet, it has been confirmed that the FBI obtained a warrant to obtain the data, and that might have included using government-issued spyware.

The FBI gained court approval in 2007 to use spyware that could be planted on a suspect's computer, allowing the feds to monitor a user's activities. While Skype deletes data from its servers after 30 days, a local log on a user's machine could contain much older data. Some of the IMs in question are from 2007. It is unclear if 5 years of logs were on a compromised PC, but a possibility of a 5 year surveillance operation seems more unlikely. 

The 70 page indictment contains a multitude of IM conversations in which the founders admit to being a 'risky situation' with regard to the site. They also regularly downloaded infringing videos from the MegaUpload servers. How do you think the feds got all this evidence?

New Foxconn Factory Jobs Draw Huge Crowds in China

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 02:47 PM PST

chinaMore likely than not, the phone or tablet you have sitting nearby was assembled in mainland China at one of the mega-facilities run by companies like Foxconn. The news cycle has recently brought stories of poor and dangerous working conditions, and even suicides in Foxconn plants. Still, the lines outside an employment agency yesterday in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou illustrate how easy Foxconn still finds it to hire workers.

Foxconn has recently moved to build five new factories in China and Brazil to build iPhones, and is doubling its workforce in Zhengzhou. That's why thousands of young people lined up for hours on Monday. Foxconn could be on the way to adding 100,000 more workers in China, and a similar number in Brazil. The salary most new hires in Zhengzhou can expect is about $261 per month, with a raise to $379-506 later. 

Foxconn workers live in dormitory-style housing, and meals are provided as part of the salary. It's not easy work, but as the lines show, it's better than nothing for many. As consumers demand lower prices on mobile technology, this pattern can only continue, though.

Image via MicGadget

WikiLeaks Considering Moving Servers Off-Shore — Way Off-Shore

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 02:31 PM PST

sealandIf you were wondering what WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has in common with a super-villain, wonder no more. It's his desire for an eccentric base of operations. According to sources inside WikiLeaks, the site is looking for a new server location, and some bizarre options have been explored including a certain micro-nation sea platform you might remember.

The financial backers of WikiLeaks are reportedly concerned about prosecution if the site data is stored anywhere that US law can reach. The servers are currently based in Sweden and Iceland. The idea has been floating that WikILeaks might set up shop on the micro-nation of Sealand. This is a WWII-era anti-aircraft platform that The Pirate Bay briefly considered using. Sealand is in international waters, and might afford some legal protection.

Another notion is even a bit more unusual: boats. Some have reported on plans to place servers on old military barges in international waters. The logistics of this plan, and the Sealand strategy, seem dubious at best. Servers have been run from Sealand, which has Internet access, but will WikiLeaks make the move? We don't know that this report is true, we just really hope that it is.

Journey to the Center of the CPU: 15 Gorgeous Closeups of Microprocessors

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 12:33 PM PST

Mmm…chips. So darned tasty, such a perfect accompaniment to a frosty glass of beer on a hot summer afternoon. But do any of us really need to see a microscopic view of what goes on inside those yummy spud slabs? Hell no! Most of us are too terrified to even read the list of ingredients.

Computer chips, on the other hand, are ripe for a little up close and personal examination. Particularly the one chip that towers above all others—the big, bad CPU. We know there are millions, and often billions, of transistors packed inside each and every modern-day processor. This in itself is a testament not only to man's obsession with miniaturization but his unstoppable thirst for power. But there's other stuff too—silicon wafers; dielectric insulators; copper electroplating; a high-speed, multi-layered highway of interconnections; and assorted unit-specific bits and pieces.

Wanna see what it all looks like? Check out the gallery below!

Linux Dev Unveils Fully Open, KDE/Mer-Powered "Spark" Tablet

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:15 AM PST

Tablets are nifty, but for the most part, they're built to be walled gardens; Apple is notorious for its heavy-handed curation, Microsoft plans on keeping Windows 8's Metro-style apps close to the chest, and the hot-selling Kindle Fire is a deeply tweaked and thoroughly managed variant of Android. One Linux developer hopes to make things more customizable with Spark, a Mer/KDE Plasma Active-powered tablet that's fully unlocked and open for tinkering.

Ars Technica pointed us towards the blog of Aaron Seigo, the brains behind the Spark. Seigo claims the €200 tablet (that's around $260 USD) packs " 1GHz AMLogic ARM processor, Mali-400 GPU, 512 MB RAM, 4GB internal storage plus SD card slot, a 7" capacitive multi-touch screen and wifi connectivity." The touchscreen-friendly Plasma Active UI is built on top of Mer, a community-created fork of the MeeGo Linux platform.

Siego hopes the Spark will, well, spark adoption of more open practices on the mobile front. Even the content store will be free, open, and available for tweaking.

"On release, the client will be Free software and the APIs openly documented so others can write front-ends," Seigo writes in another blog post. "Most interestingly, however, is the server side. It has been designed in such a way that other people with other devices or concepts can use that same back end to make their own stores. It supports the idea of a single, large set of content which can then be curated into any number of different stores with different focuses and delivery targets."

Interested? Keep an eye on Seigo's blog. He promises to nail down answers about launch dates, purchasing/delivery methods, and details about hardware, software and other specific questions in the days to come. Hopefully this project bears fruit. Delicious, open, mobile fruit.

Symantec Stomps Out Anonymous Source Code Threat with a Security Patch

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:07 AM PST

Symantec had promised to release a security patch for its pcAnywhere software to neutralize known vulnerabilities arising from the theft of certain source code, and the security firm has now made good on its word. The first patch was actually rolled out on Monday, January 23, 2012 for pcAnywhere 12.5 users, but there's another update now available to support pcAnywhere 12.0 and 12.1.

With the patch(s) in place and the ability to follow general security best practices, Symantec says its customers have nothing to worry about. Symantec was also willing to confirm that a portion of its source code was stolen by the hacking group known as Anonymous, though it believes the theft occurred around six years ago and mostly applies to out-of-date products.

"Our investigation continues to indicate that the theft is limited to only the code for the 2006 versions of Norton Antivirus Corporate Edition, Norton Internet Security, Norton SystemWorks (Norton Utilities and Norton GoBack), and pcAnywhere," Symantec said.

You can grab the pcAnywhere hotfixes here.

Firefox 10 Touches Down on Stable Release Channel

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:48 AM PST

Mozilla's popular Firefox browser officially turns 10 today, as in version 10, not years in existence (if we're to use the launch of Firefox 1.0 as the browser's birth date, Firefox will turn 10 years old on November 9, 2014). New to version 10 is the absence of the Forward browsing button, which is now hidden until you navigate back. It also includes anti-aliasing for WebGL, and a few other tricks.

From a user standpoint, there aren't any big 'gee-whiz' changes introduced in Firefox 10, partially the result of the browser's rapid release schedule that sees Mozilla churning out new builds at a feverish clip. There are, however, some underneath the hood enhancements that deal with standards support, HTML5 coding, and upgrades that are of interest to developers.

You can download the latest build here. Release notes are here.

Razer's True 7.1 Tiamat Gaming Headset Delayed... Again

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:35 AM PST

Bad news for surround-sound gaming headset fans; Razer's Tiamat 7.1 headset was already delayed from its original 2011 launch, and now it's been delayed yet again. The company recently announced that its January rescheduling was a little too ambitious and now says that the cans will ship next month, instead. (Maybe the name should have been a warning: Wikipedia says Tiamat was "the monstrous embodiment of primordial chaos" in Babylonian mythology.) By way of apology, the company's offering some free Razer swag to early buyers.

"We feel our relentless pursuit of quality, and our refusal to ship a 'good enough' product will pay off when you plug in your pair and hear them for the first time," Razer wrote on its website. "We do not take delays lightly, and you can bet your ass we are busting ours to make this product perfect." If you add your name to the Tiamat's notification list, Razer will send you a coupon code for a free Razer t-shirt and flask, which you can redeem when the Tiamat goes up for sale.

A quick refresher: Razer pegs the Tiamat as a true 7.1 headset thanks to its 10 individual positional drivers, which it claims is a "world's first." Other gaming headsets use simulated surround sound. Are you thinking of picking one up?

MMO News

MMO News


RiotZone

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 01:28 PM PST

RiotZone, published by Mail.Ru, sets you in a country ravaged by civil war, leaving you to survive tactical combat scenarios in a tropical paradise. Featuring shot game sessions, comic-style characters and plenty of special skills across several units, RiotZone offers the casual player an appealing strategy option. RiotZone is free-to-play and browser-based, so no client downloads are required.

riotzone-intense-combat

Publisher: Mail.Ru
Playerbase: ??
Graphics: Medium
Type: Strategy
EXP Rate: ??
PvP: 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3 battles
Filesize: N/A

Pros: +Quick-to-play. +Crisp, cartoonish graphics. +Unique and varied skills for various mercenaries.

Cons: -Limited information available.

Overview

RiotZone Overview

RiotZone is a browser based RTS based in the fictional land of Merania.  Players control a mercenary commander under one of two factions:  The Scarlet Alliance, who wants to put Merania in the hands of the people; or the Crown Coalition, which takes an entirely business-like approach.  Various missions are available for players to undertake, such as ambushes and supply interceptions. In addition to these combat missions, commanders are responsible for setting up a camp, training new soldiers, and monitoring their supplies carefully.

RiotZone Screenshots

Full Review

RiotZone Full Review

Coming Soon…

Screenshots

RiotZone Screenshots

Coming Soon…

Links

RiotZone Links

Official Game Page

System Requirements

RiotZone System Requirements

Installed Flash Player 10.0
Internet Explorer / Firefox / Google Chrome
An Internet connection
Display resolution of 1024 by 768

EverQuest to go free-to-play in March

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:45 AM PST

EverQuest Producer, Thom Terrazas, has announced to the EverQuest community that the game will go free-to-play in March.

EverQuest is turning 13 years old in March, and will celebrate its anniversary concurrently with the free-to-play release, greeting new players and returning veterans with special anniversary events. All players will get a new Welcome Pack with special items that include a unique Mercenary, experience potions, Bayle Marks, house decorations, and a Weapon Ornamentation. The game will also redesign its website and improve the map system in-game.

Like EverQuest II, EverQuest will feature a limited selection of races and classes for free players, limits spell tiers, and other content.

EverQuest is published by Sony Online Entertainment.

everquest-iskar-guard.jpg

EverQuest Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

/Tell Norrathians INCOMING BUFFS!

Hello everyone – I hope you all are doing well early on in the New Year! With an exciting Veil of Alaris expansion just released in November, we’re thrilled to announce the next big adventure for EverQuest®. After listening to your feedback and suggestions over the past few years, I’m happy to announce that in early March 2012, EverQuest will be going free-to-play.

We’re excited to be expanding the EverQuest experience by making the game more accessible to every type of player so that you can choose to play the game in a way that suits you best. Anyone who wishes to start, return or continue to play one of the “Best Games of All-Time” can simply download and play EverQuest on their terms – think of it as Free to Play, Your Way. Recurring subscriptions, non-recurring subscriptions, Silver or Free memberships, item unlockers, and more. The game will now be setup to be flexible so that *you* can decide how much to pay, based on how much fun you’re having.

EverQuest players are some of the most loyal, long-standing players of any MMO in existence. With the gaming landscape changing every day, we want to ensure we continue to evolve the game to keep players engaged and bring in even more new players to further expand the community. With no up-front costs or required membership, we might see a new player or two along the way, and more people is always a good thing!

Once we go free-to-play, here are some of the upcoming features and events you can expect:

  • On Friday, March 16th, EverQuest becomes a teenager: 13 years old!!! We will be having some extra added events in the game starting that week leading up to that Friday and we’re introducing some new items within POK to let you know what’s in store.
  • With the free-to-play launch, a renovated everquest.com website will be unveiled and after that, we will bring you upgraded EQPlayers pages.
  • We have improved the functionality of our Map system! Some improvements include being able to view appropriate level content for your character on the map, allowing you to find zone lines much easier; and also showing you your wisps on the map to help navigate to where you want to go!

Also at the free-to-play launch, all players will receive a Welcome Pack containing items to add to your gameplay experience. You’ll be able to summon a unique Mercenary to fight by your side and we’re including some Bayle Marks to help pay for the services of your newly summoned Mercenary. A couple of Experience Potions are also included to help you increase your experience gained while adventuring. For all the collectors that like to show off all the great wares to your friends, we’re giving you an item to display in your home and add to your collection. And finally, you’ll be able to customize the appearance of one of your weapons with a Weapon Ornamentation – also included in the Welcome Pack. So be sure to check the claim window for your free gifts.

We, the EverQuest dev team, are very excited about this new flexible system. Free-To-Play is the best fit for EverQuest and we are looking forward to supporting the game and our dedicated fans for years to come. This is a great year for everyone associated with EverQuest and SOE. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what’s coming in 2012.

One last note, we will be doing a Community Webcast on Thursday February 2, 2012 covering all of the exciting free-to-play details. Please be sure to send in any questions you might have via the Facebook page or Twitter so we can respond with answers during the Webcast.

See you in game very soon!

Thom Terrazas
EverQuest Producer
AKA “Phathom”

Repulse Gameplay Video – Tri Commentary HD

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:38 AM PST

d

To Learn More About the Game, Check out our Repulse Page.

Repulse is a fast paced 3D sci-fi themed MMOFPS publushed by Aeria Games – the same company behind Eden Eternal and Grand Fantasia. Repulse is a unique blend between 3D tactical games like Soldier and fast paced wall jumping games like S4 League. Players in Repulse can wall jump, cloak or boost across the map. This dynamic alone makes the game quite unique. Repulse use to be under ijij as Genesis A.D before shutting down and re-opening as Repulse under Aeria.

MMOHut Weekly Recap #71 Jan 29 – Spirit Tales, LOTRO, Carte, & More

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 09:45 AM PST

A quick look and discussion for every major announcement and update during the week! This week we discussed updates from the following games: Spirit Tales, Dark Orbit, The Lord of the Rings Online, Conquer Online, Carte, Project Blackout, Rosh Online, Luvinia, Microvolts, Rusty Hearts, and Mythos Global.  The biggest news of the week is most likely the announcement of the new expansion pack for The Lord of the Rings Online called Riders of Rohan. Its expected to be twice as large as their previous expansion but also includes a new level cap, mounted combat, new gear and items. The expansion pack is slated for later this year. You can view all the individual news articles mention over at the MMOHut.com News section.

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Massively Speaking Episode 184

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 09:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , , , , ,

Second Life
Massively Speaking Episode 184 returns this week with Justin and Rubi being joined by Senior Editor Bree Royce to discuss the week's news. Topics include NCsoft's newest lawsuit with En Masse, RuneScape's sub fee increase, no BlizzCon this year, and much more. Plus, this is Rubi's last time on the show, so wish her a fond farewell!

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes.
[RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator.
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
Listen here on the page:



Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 184

MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 184 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    EVE Online website revamp detailed in new video devblog

    Posted: 31 Jan 2012 08:00 AM PST

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    EVE Online title image
    EVE Online has undergone countless changes and iterations since its first release in 2003, with major graphics overhauls and new gameplay systems arriving every year. In contrast, the official EVE website hasn't changed much over the years. With background information, screenshots, video, forums and knowledgebase articles, the EVE website now juggles content designed for prospective players and existing community members alike. CCP aims to change all that with a complete overhaul that will split community tools like the forums, knowledgebase, and account management from marketing designed to attract players.

    In a new video devblog, web-developer CCP Alice shows off some of the features of EVE's brand new website. Built using HTML 5, the new page will feature a full built-in renderer able to show prospective players the EVE Online universe map and interactive renderings of every ship in the game. "Now that we have a better eveonline.com, the focus after this one is to focus on the community," says CCP Alice, hinting that new community tools will soon be on the way. In a follow-up devblog today, Community Manager CCP Guard confirmed that players will soon be able to start their own corporation forums hosted on CCP's servers. Check out the full video after the cut.

    Continue reading EVE Online website revamp detailed in new video devblog

    MassivelyEVE Online website revamp detailed in new video devblog originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Browser-based FPS sets world record for simultaneous players

    Posted: 31 Jan 2012 07:00 AM PST

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    Man vs. Machine - world record attempt
    A new world record for simultaneous FPS participants was set over the weekend. Man vs. Machine, a browser title from MuchDifferent, is the new champion thanks to its ability to support 999 players on a single battlefield at the same time.

    MuchDifferent CEO Christian Lonnholm says that Man vs. Machine smashed the previous record of 600 simultaneous combatants held by Sony Online Entertainment's PlanetSide, and he also viewed the event as a resounding success despite missing the stated 1,000-player goal by a single digit.

    "I am very proud that we could show the world such a massive game with no lag and great responsiveness," Lonnholm said. "We never managed to get the full thousand, though, because of the inherent unpredictability of the internet with players constantly timing out and logging out."

    Head past the cut for a video of the record-setting event.

    Continue reading Browser-based FPS sets world record for simultaneous players

    MassivelyBrowser-based FPS sets world record for simultaneous players originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    A sneak peek at Guild Wars 2's PvP Scholar armor

    Posted: 31 Jan 2012 06:00 AM PST

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    Guild Wars 2
    Admit it: You aren't always out just for the thrill of the experience -- you want the bling-bling to go with it. A shopping spree, with your sword playing the role of "credit card" and each corpse a potential bonanza of fashion acquisitions. That's okay; we're not here to judge you.

    In fact, if fancy armor gets your motor running, Guild Wars Insider has a treat for you: two pictures of Guild Wars 2's PvP Scholar armor set modeled by a majestic Norn Elementalist. While the armor may not maximize skin coverage, the detail and design is certainly fetching.

    These pictures were taken inside of the PvP lobbies, which are breathtaking environments all to themselves. The picture on the left was taken in the Battle of Khylo lobby.

    ArenaNet has been rolling out the news of Guild Wars 2's PvP system ever since Gamescom last year.

    [Thanks to Seven for the tip!]

    MassivelyA sneak peek at Guild Wars 2's PvP Scholar armor originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Daily Grind: When do you alt?

    Posted: 31 Jan 2012 05:00 AM PST

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    In some games, the correct answer is 'pretty much never' no matter what.
    We know that some of you love to roll alts and some of you just play one character until the end time. This question is not about that. No, today we want something that's much more fundamental but yet subtly more important -- when do you make those alts? When do you click back over to character creation and start fresh?

    For some players, it's a matter of boredom. Some players make new characters based on roleplaying demands. Some just love to roll new characters on a regular basis whenever one character hits an important milestone. And for some of us, it's just a matter of whenever the whim strikes, whether or not that whim makes a lot of sense at the time.

    If you don't make alts, of course, your answer is "almost never." But if you do, we ask you -- when do you make your new characters? What motivates you to start again from the bottom on a regular basis? When is it time to make another character?

    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: When do you alt? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Global Agenda celebrates its second birthday with free booster codes for Massively readers

      Posted: 30 Jan 2012 06:00 PM PST

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      Global Agenda
      We told you earlier today that Hi-Rez is handing out prizes in honor of Global Agenda's second anniversary, and while that's pretty awesome, we've got a little something extra for those players who have the good taste to also be Massively readers.

      We've got some booster codes to give away: three days of extra experience, credits, and tokens, free for the taking. Picking one up for yourself is a snap: Go to our giveaway page to pick up your code, then log into game and type "/claimpromotion Promocode". Enter your code and that's it -- you've got your three-day booster!

      Enjoy your booster code and join us in thanking Hi-Rez for the gift!

      MassivelyGlobal Agenda celebrates its second birthday with free booster codes for Massively readers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Newest Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter talks patch 1.21 release

        Posted: 30 Jan 2012 05:30 PM PST

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        Of course, in real life, Yoshida is the one who can spit fire.
        It's been a little quiet on the Final Fantasy XIV front since the new year, but the team behind the game has been hard at work preparing the launch of patch 1.21. And it's going to be quite a massive patch, as outlined in Naoki Yoshida's most recent producer's letter for the fans. Not only does it contain the addition of the long-awaited Job system, but it also includes UI improvements, housing, two new instanced raids, a food and medicine overhaul, and a variety of smaller changes.

        While the team had originally aimed for a launch in the second week of February, Yoshida notes that the patch will likely be delayed two weeks due to the sheer amount of content going in. He also discusses what he calls temporary server merges prior to the launch of 2.0 in November; as he puts it, the main concern is allowing players, especially from European regions, to have an ample playerbase to adventure with. It's a bit of unpleasant news for Final Fantasy XIV players, but it's packed in amidst many things to look forward to.

        MassivelyNewest Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter talks patch 1.21 release originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Not So Massively: Why are all these games still in beta?

        Posted: 30 Jan 2012 05:00 PM PST

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        Not So Massively title image
        Dota 2 revealed its latest hero, Clinkz the Bone Fletcher, in this week's beta patch, while the Realm of the Titans beta was rudely interrupted by a security breach that saw thousands of passwords stolen. Blacklight: Retribution's fourth beta phase is now underway, and we have beta keys for those of you who haven't managed to get into it yet. Bloodline Champions celebrated the two-year anniversary of its first beta test this week, and developers revealed details of upcoming bloodline Headhunter.

        League of Legends spilled the beans on its brand-new psychotic yordle champion Ziggs, the Hexplosives Expert, this week with a full gameplay reveal, art spotlight and patch preview. Diablo III seems slightly nearer to release this week with the news that Blizzard has cancelled BlizzCon 2012 in order to focus on getting the game to release as soon as possible. Heroes of Newerth player Fatmilk set a new world record by playing the game for 76 hours straight and raised pver $3,700US for charity as a result. Finally, the Rise of Immortals developers discussed the latest immortal, Ukkonen, and other topics in the first part of a new developer podcast series.

        Continue reading Not So Massively: Why are all these games still in beta?

        MassivelyNot So Massively: Why are all these games still in beta? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Turbine: Subscription model isn't dead

          Posted: 30 Jan 2012 04:30 PM PST

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          Dungeons and Dragons Online - dark elves
          Turbine doesn't think subscription MMOs are dying, which might come as something of a surprise to fans of the pay-as-you-go business model that's spreading like wildfire across the Western MMO landscape.

          "It's probably not right to say the subscription MMO is dying, it's probably more right to say the idea of forcing a player to only have one option for having to consume your content -- that's probably dying," says spokesman Adam Mersky in a piece at Eurogamer.

          Mersky goes on to say that brave new business models are the norm across the entertainment spectrum, and he also claims that Turbine "certainly pioneered" free-to-play in the online gaming space (though it's worth noting that Funcom introduced a F2P option for Anarchy Online in 2004, five years before Dungeons and Dragons Online took the plunge).

          Finally, the Eurogamer piece touches on the upcoming Menace of the Underdark expansion as well as the unnamed "future project" that the company first hinted about in 2009.

          MassivelyTurbine: Subscription model isn't dead originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          DC Universe Online's upcoming game update is all about easier grouping

          Posted: 30 Jan 2012 04:00 PM PST

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          The proposal for Super Wimp Raids, where the enemies just stare at you menacingly, was summarily rejected.
          If you've been enjoying DC Universe Online ever since the game switched business models, odds are good you're looking toward the endgame by now. Game Update 9, which is coming soon, will make getting into that endgame even easier via the addition of Novice Raids. This new difficulty setting still allows players to experience all the storyline of Fortress of Solitude, Kahndaq, and the Batcave, but the difficulty will be notched down so that players can get a better feel for what they're doing.

          Of course, if you're not into the endgame rush, you've still got something to look forward to with the new role-optional alerts system. In essence, players will now be able to queue for Alerts without needing to put together a balanced group; in the event that a role is missing, a team buff will be applied to ensure that the area can still be cleared. That means that even with nothing but Damage characters, you can still explore all of DC Universe Online's group content, something that should allow for some novel player approaches once the update goes live.

          [Update: SOE has also issued a statement about plans for the game's PvP in 2012. The full quote is after the cut.]

          Continue reading DC Universe Online's upcoming game update is all about easier grouping

          MassivelyDC Universe Online's upcoming game update is all about easier grouping originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          ArenaNet reveals new PvP map with four new screenshots

          Posted: 30 Jan 2012 03:00 PM PST

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          Screenshot -- Guild Wars 2
          Now that it finally has a (rumored) tentative launch window, fans can officially get hyped for Guild Wars 2, only to have their hopes dashed when the release is pushed back. OK, not really (hopefully), but we do have some fancy new screenshots for you folks today courtesy of Guild Wars Insider. ArenaNet has released four new screenshots of a to-be-announced PvP map. Though we have all of no idea what kind of map it is, how it plays, or even what it's called... doesn't matter, new screenshots! To get a look at the new map in all of its splendor, just click on through the link below to Guild Wars Insider.

          MassivelyArenaNet reveals new PvP map with four new screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Warhammer Online releases patch 1.4.5 highlights

          Posted: 30 Jan 2012 02:00 PM PST

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          The Inevitable City at peak hours.
          Despite Mythic Entertainment's recent winnowing of the Warhammer Online servers -- bringing them down from four servers to a measly pair -- the company is still hard at work developing patches for the RvR-based title. Patch 1.4.5 will be hitting the live servers tomorrow, January 31st, and it brings a number of interesting changes and also ushers in the return of fortresses, which should be good news for open RvR fans.

          With the recent Skaven invasion, a number of relics have been found in myriad underground tunnels dug below the game's fortresses. Players will be charged with guarding their faction's relics while attempting to purloin those of the enemy. The Grovod Cavern scenario is also making a return, allowing two teams of 12 players to duke it out in the crumbling cave. But this time, there's a twist: Players will be taking control of two teams of Skaven; hilarity will ensue. To top it all off, 1.4.5 is bringing fortresses back into play (after they were removed some time ago), which should hopefully encourage players to head back into the open RvR lakes for fun and profit. For the full details, just head on over to the Warhammer Online official site.

          MassivelyWarhammer Online releases patch 1.4.5 highlights originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Leaderboard: Mechanized vs. monster mounts

          Posted: 30 Jan 2012 01:30 PM PST

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          Leaderboard
          Unless you're stuck in the invisible wall, no jumping, running-with-your-hands-flopping-about hell of Guild Wars, chances are you've gotten the opportunity to pick up a mount or two in an MMO. It's one of the ways that MMOs are so superior to the real world: There are no driver tests, no insurance policies, no (usually) gas. You just plop down some money and the vendor looks the other way while you go off-roading in a major metropolitan area.

          But it wouldn't be a Leaderboard if we didn't force you to choose between your '67 Mustang and your pet Tauntaun, and so it shall be. In the world of mounts, there are two categories: the mechanized and the monsters. Vehicle mounts may be more rare due to fantasy's dominance over the genre, but they're still there and quite popular for the set that doesn't appreciate staring at horse doody all the live-long day. Then again, the fantastic creatures that have served as animal mounts are unceasing in variety as they are in style.

          So what shall it be? Will you plug Old Yeller and go with your motorcycle, or will you mothball your favorite dune buggy in favor of Seabiscuit? Vote after the jump!

          Continue reading Leaderboard: Mechanized vs. monster mounts

          MassivelyLeaderboard: Mechanized vs. monster mounts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Wings Over Atreia: F2P and vet rewards and bears, oh my!

            Posted: 30 Jan 2012 01:00 PM PST

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            Wings Over Atreia header image
            OK, so maybe there aren't really any bears. Wait, I take that back -- there are maybe sorta bears... at least alluded to! Polar bears, to be exact. No really, work with me here: What Winter Festival, Atreian or otherwise, doesn't conjure up images of polar bears? We just won't get into the whole dancing bears thing. What we will get into this week in Wings Over Atreia, however, are musings about a few topics of interest that are swirling around lately, most notably Aion's upcoming conversion to free-to-play in Europe, the changes to the veteran reward system, and the aforementioned Winter Festival (sans dancing bears).

            Quick quiz now: Other than involving Aion, what else do these three subjects have in common? Give up? Time. While this column usually delves into single topics at a time, the fact that two of these are time-sensitive necessitates that they share face-time, else the news most relevant to Daevas would become obsolete. The third is less time-sensitive but more time-relevant.

            Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: F2P and vet rewards and bears, oh my!

            MassivelyWings Over Atreia: F2P and vet rewards and bears, oh my! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              A Vanguard fifth anniversary year-in-review

              Posted: 30 Jan 2012 12:00 PM PST

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              Vanguard screenshot
              It's that time again -- time to look back on a year of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes and see what changed and what stayed exactly the same. The game is now five years old, and the last year has been relatively exciting for the community. Vanguard is just one of those titles that seems to want to last forever. The playerbase is loyal, mature, and truly dedicated to this aging title. Will the players' efforts pay off?

              We took a look back on the last year to see what the larger announcements were. There were some surprises and even updates (yes, actual updates to the game), something that is still affecting the community. While other games might publish monthly or even weekly updates, the Vanguard players are the camels of the greater MMO community and have learned to live off very little development fuel.

              Bear in mind that as I type this, an update is being played through on the test server.

              Continue reading A Vanguard fifth anniversary year-in-review

              MassivelyA Vanguard fifth anniversary year-in-review originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                RIFT introducing some big PvP buffs in patch 1.7

                Posted: 30 Jan 2012 11:30 AM PST

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                Sadly, being a mercenary does not allow you to switch sides if a boss battle is going poorly.
                Maybe you've been a fan of PvP in RIFT from day one. Or perhaps you eschewed it due to the slow rate of rewards and the awkwardness of needing PvP souls to make any real headway. The good news is that the game's upcoming patch 1.7 is taking aim at a variety of PvP issues, starting with a change to the Prestige Rank system. The new system will offer 40 ranks instead of the previous eight; while the time to reach the cap will remain identical, you'll gain new ranks and rewards more frequently, making the overall experience smoother.

                PvP souls are being outright abolished, with the abilities rolling into the new Attunement Path of War that works just like other Planar Attunements. There's also the addition of the "mercenary" option for queueing, allowing players to fight with the other faction during PvP matches in order to ensure a balanced and full group. All of this combines with across-the-board item improvements to ensure that following the patch release, taking part in PvP should be quite a bit more fun.

                MassivelyRIFT introducing some big PvP buffs in patch 1.7 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Xsyon hosting month-long architecture contest

                Posted: 30 Jan 2012 11:00 AM PST

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                Xsyon - This took insane amounts of time.
                If you're a member of a tribe in Xsyon, you might want to check out Notorious Games' latest architecture contest. The event runs from February 1st to March 1st, and it's open to both small tribes (between one and five members) and larger groups (six or more members).

                Since it's an architecture contest, you'll obviously need to construct (or re-construct) your tribe settlement. Notorious will be judging your creations for originality, uniqueness, design, layout, and beautification.

                The dev team is remaining coy when it comes to contest incentives, but the latest Xsyon press release does say that "there will be a large prize for the winning tribe in each group."

                MassivelyXsyon hosting month-long architecture contest originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                It's official: EverQuest goes free-to-play

                Posted: 30 Jan 2012 10:30 AM PST

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                EQ Veil of Alaris
                Back in December, when EverQuest II made the transition to free-to-play across all servers, many gamers wondered whether its sibling, EverQuest, would follow. Today, the speculation has become reality, and EverQuest will officially go free-to-play in March, which also is the month that the game first launched back in 1999. As the game closes in on its 13th birthday, it's worth taking a look back at this game's amazing history.

                Continue reading It's official: EverQuest goes free-to-play

                MassivelyIt's official: EverQuest goes free-to-play originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Pack up your toys: LEGO Universe is shutting down at midnight

                  Posted: 30 Jan 2012 10:00 AM PST

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                  LEGO Universe
                  The clock is chiming, and kids (and the young at heart) everywhere are asking for just a little more time with LEGO Universe. Unfortunately the struggling MMO has gotten no reprieve from the imaginary video game governor, and its servers will go offline tonight at midnight EST.

                  The shutdown FAQ encourages LEGO Universe players to share their favorite memories on the forums and ends with a heartfelt message from the team:
                  "Our decision to end LEGO Universe is similar to decisions we also make with LEGO Product collection, where favourite sets come and go to make space for new sets. It was time for LEGO Universe to end and hopefully new digital LEGO experiences will come in the future."
                  We first heard of LEGO Universe's closure last November, when the studio announced that the game's freemium model was not bringing in enough paying customers to keep the title afloat. LEGO Universe is a youngling in the MMO genre, having released in October 2010, making the game one year and three months old at the time of its shutdown.

                  Refunds for those who had a paid subscription on file after December 31st, 2011 will be distributed early next month. Unused LEGO game cards may also be exchanged for LEGO e-gift cards.

                  MassivelyPack up your toys: LEGO Universe is shutting down at midnight originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Hi-Rez handing out prizes for Global Agenda's second anniversary

                    Posted: 30 Jan 2012 09:30 AM PST

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                    Global Agenda - Chloe's Burning Fashion
                    Time flies when you're fragging newbs, and Global Agenda fans have been doing just that for the better part of two years now. Hi-Rez Studios' sci-fi shooter launched on February 1st, 2010, and for this week's anniversary, the firm is offering up some exclusive prizes as well as trotting out a few old flair favorites.

                    Starting today, any Global Agenda player who wins an instanced PvE or PvP mission before February 6th will receive a mini Switchblade pet to parade around Dome City in between matches. Hi-Rez is also sponsoring a 6-on-6 PvP tourney that features a dragon helmet for all participants and an unnamed exclusive item and cash prize for the winning team.

                    But wait, there's more! Check out Chloe's Burning Fashion for an extensive back catalog of previously retired flair pieces. There are over 100 items available for purchase using Hi-Rez's cash shop currency, including some headgear from past holiday events.

                    Finally, check out this Friday's The Firing Line for more info on Global Agenda at the two-year mark.

                    [Source: Hi-Rez press release]

                    MassivelyHi-Rez handing out prizes for Global Agenda's second anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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