General Gaming Article

---

• Forum Feature: This Week in Threads!
• Google Health and PowerMeter Shutting Down
• Contest Friday: CivWorld Invites!
• DEFCON Kids: All Hackers Aren't Jerks
• PCI Express Developing Blazing-Fast External Standard
• New Retro Transformer USBs Let You Transfer Data In Style
• Asus Announces F1A75 Motherboard Series for Fusion Platform
• New CPU-Z Build Supports AMD FX Bulldozer and Llano
• Cool Site of the Week: Turntable.fm
• Leaked IRC Logs Provides Insight into LulzSec

Forum Feature: This Week in Threads! Posted: 24 Jun 2011 05:35 PM PDT It's Friday, and we're wrapping up another issue of the magazine. The September issue, to be precise. We know that's a heck of a lead time. We can't wait to show you! While you're waiting to see the 2011 Dream Machine, there are a few things you can do. You can apply to be our boss! Or you could join the discussion on our official forums! Or you could do both! Like the Enterprise herself in dry dock, Bill Owen's Tricorder Chic mod continues to take shape Check out our Appraisals, Deals & Bargains (oh my!) subforum, otherwise known as the kleinkinstein show. There are appraisals. There are deals. There are bargains. Most of the latter two are posted by the indefatigable kleinkinstein, but you could post some too. You know.  Does (page file) size matter? Join psymonkey and the rest of the gang for a frank discussion. Maggard wants to know what to do with an old Socket 775 Dell machine. RaginNoob requests watercooling advice. angelsix wants help building a rig for 3D Blu-ray and gaming. Head on over to the forums for all these fine threads and more! Don't forget to add your voice to the discussions, or start your own thread!

Google Health and PowerMeter Shutting Down Posted: 24 Jun 2011 03:02 PM PDT Everytime Google starts a blog post with "An update on", we cring, knowing that a tool or product is getting the axe. Today, two Google products that failed to receive wide support are being killed by Mountain View. Google Health and Google PowerMeter are described in the recent blog post as "influential models" that just failed to scale. Google is offering users plenty of time to get data out before the plug is completely pulled, though. Google Health was launched as a way for users to organize and analyze their own health information. Google admits that adoption was limited to the tech-savvy crowd, but they believe the idea can still help millions of people. Health is going to be shut down on January 1, 2012, but data can still be exported until January 1, 2013. Google PowerMeter was a product of Google.org, the search giant's non-profit wing. This service allowed users to monitor their energy usage with an array of charts and graphs. It was total data-porn, but the service relied on the installation of "smart meters" in homes. Since most municipalities aren't yet up for that, it didn't happen. Total sunset on PowerMeter is set for September 16, 2011.

Contest Friday: CivWorld Invites! Posted: 24 Jun 2011 02:01 PM PDT If we say "Sid Meier," do you say "Yes, please, please, give meeeee it!" If we say "CivWorld," do you make this face? Yes? Really? A) How do you do that? and B) Get ready to squee with joy because we've got three invites to CivWorld to give away today! Here's the lowdown - in order to enter you must have a Facebook account for this contest. Why? Pretty simple explanation really: we're horrible people who want to ruin your day and invade your privacy. Nah, not really - but the game is only available via the Facebooks right now, so you're going to kind of need to have a Facebook account to access the game. (Yes, boo, hiss, I know - we'll have another contest next week so don't throw rocks at me just yet). Still with me? Alright, now, just go to our Facebook page and leave a comment with a suggestion for an Image Gallery - something you'd like to see made into a story like this one, or this one, or this one. You can also comment here, on this post, if you'd rather. Usual rules and regulations apply (and are in the small print below). Also, please note that 2K Games or Take-Two Interactive are in no way affiliated with the giveaway. Good luck to everyone!   Rules MaximumPC contest rules: Anyone who posts a comment listing an idea for an image gallery to this story on either MaximumPC.com or the MaximumPC Facebook page will be entered to win the one of the three CivWorld invites described in this article--one entry per accepted comment. Prizes will be awarded by random drawing. Submissions will be accepted on our Facebook.com fanpage. Submissions will be accepted until Monday the 27th of June at 06:00 PM PST. By entering this contest, you agree that Future US, Inc. may use your name, likeness, website, and submission for promotional purposes without further payment. Employees of Sponsor, its respective parent, subsidiaries, affiliated companies, and agents, and foregoing employees¹ household or immediate family members (defined as parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent) are NOT eligible to enter Contest. All prizes will be awarded, and no minimum number of entries is required. Prizes won by minors will be awarded to their parents or legal guardians. Future US, Inc. is not responsible for damages or expenses the winners might incur as a result of this contest or the receipt of a prize, and winners are responsible for income taxes based on the value of the prize received. A list of winners may also be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope toFuture US, Inc. c/o MaximumPC Contest, 4000 Shoreline Court, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080. This contest is limited to residents of the United States. No purchase necessary; void in Arizona, Maryland, Vermont, Puerto Rico, and where prohibited by law.

DEFCON Kids: All Hackers Aren't Jerks Posted: 24 Jun 2011 11:47 AM PDT Current headlines would have you believe that the hacking community is a seedy world full of anonymous, government-hating hooligans and lulz-seeking havoc-wreaking chuckleheads. That is a part of it, but for every jerk who steals credit card numbers, there's a hard-working hacker helping to identify weaknesses in networks and shore up corporate defenses. Hoping to inspire a new generation of white-hat hackers, DEFCON's hosting their first ever event targeting techie children, the aptly named DEFCON Kids. Workshops and classes are scheduled to teach future Neos and Condors how to do everything from picking locks to communicating in code to wheedling information out of people. "There will be a workroom for kids to participate in hacking activities anytime throughout the two days, including a Codebreaking Museum, a Makerbot and the Hardware Hacking Station," the Defcon Kids website says. As odd as it sounds to teach a room full of 10 year olds how to crack a Master lock, everything's given the full white-hat spin. For example, while the "Google Hacking" class shows kids how to get data hidden in plain sight, none of the courses involve penetrating network defenses. "We want to expose kids at an earlier age to the wonders of taking things apart and making them do things that they weren't intended to do," Jeff Moss, DEFCON's founder, told Reuters. This year's Defcon 19 takes place at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Vegas from August 4th to August 7th. The organizers are setting aside two rooms on the 6th and 7th for Defcon Kids. Anybody aged eight to 16 is encouraged to attend, but "DEFCON Kids is not daycare; kids are their parents' responsibility."

PCI Express Developing Blazing-Fast External Standard Posted: 24 Jun 2011 11:09 AM PDT They say you can never have too much of a good thing. That theory's being put to the test by computer transfer technology. We've already got FireWire, USB, Ethernet, eSATA, et cetera, et cetera. Now, an old contender is entering the field sporting new technology; the PCI Special Interest Group recently announced that they're developing a new standard for an external, cabled version of the formerly internal-only PCI Express. Watch out, Intel – this tech's set to collide with Thunderbolt in the marketplace. The specification's still in the design stages, but the target numbers being tossed around still make you sit up an take notice. EE Times reports the external PCI Express will be based on PCIe 3.0 and capable of transfer rates up to 32Gbps in distances up to three meters, a number that makes Thunderbolt's otherwise-speedy 10Gbps seem sluggish in comparison. On the downside, the spec won't support devices that pull in more than 20 watts of power, so the dream of plug-n-play high-end graphics cards is still just a dream. Design-wise, the external PCIe's cord and connector are "expected to be flatter than those of Thunderbolt," EE Times says. The initial design will be based on standard copper wiring, but high-speed copper and fiber wiring specs could be implemented in the future. Don't start drooling yet, though – external PCIe cables aren't expected to hit the streets until mid-way through 2013.

New Retro Transformer USBs Let You Transfer Data In Style Posted: 24 Jun 2011 10:19 AM PDT Geeks don't accessorize quite the same as norms. Matching your shoes with your shirt places you at the top of the fashion totem pole at most computer conventions. That being said, everybody likes a bit of flair every now and again, and geeks are no different. When you want to draw admiring "Ooohs" and "Aaahs" out of your tech-loving pals, you can pull Mimobot's new retro Transformer USB drives out of your pocket and rest easy knowing you're sporting the Gucci of the gadget world. Mimobot, a company specializing in designer USB drives, showed off the pint-sized Optimus Prime and Megatron at the CEA Line Show going on in New York City the past couple of days. Engadget points out that while the retro Transformers don't actually, well, transform, they do come preloaded with Transformer-related screensavers, videos, digital comics, icons, avatars and more. That Gucci effect comes at Gucci prices, though. Pricing for the line starts at $23 for a 2GB drive and tops off at $60 for a 16GB drive. You can preorder the drives on Mimobot's website and bring the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons to your PC on July 18th. If Transformers don't strike your fancy, check out the other options on Mimobot's website. You can get USB drives sporting all types of cool, geek-related characters, ranging from Hal Jordan to Hoth Luke. Image credit: Mimobot

Asus Announces F1A75 Motherboard Series for Fusion Platform Posted: 24 Jun 2011 10:09 AM PDT Motherboard makers are preparing for the launch of AMD's upcoming Llano line of Accelerated Processing Units (APUs). That includes Asus who today revealed its first boards sporting the necessary FM1 socket to support AMD's A-series APUs and powered by the AMD A75 chipset. New boards include the F1A75-V EVO and V1A75-V Pro, both of which Asus promises will offer "exceptional overclocking" capabilities and a range of proprietary and next-gen technologies. "The Asus F1A75 series are designed with the exclusive DIGI+ VRM and the most intuitive UEFI BIOS on the market," Asus says. "The F1A75-V EVO is the world's FM1 socket motherboard with dual x8/x8 PCI-Express for AMD CrossFireX support, while the entire range of Asus F1A75 Series motherboards are designed to natively support the latest USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gbps standards." Other features include four DDR3 memory slots, seven SATA ports, three PCI-E x16 slots, 7.1 channel audio, GbE LAN, eSATA, D-Sub, DVI, and HDMI. AMD didn't announce a price or release date.

New CPU-Z Build Supports AMD FX Bulldozer and Llano Posted: 24 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT Is that a Bulldozer processor in your desktop or is your computer just happy to see you? With the latest build of CPU-Z released today (v1.58), you can find out. Updates to this popular freeware update have typically been few and far between, and this is only the second time it's been tweaked since late October 2010. In addition to recognizing FX Bulldozer chips, the latest release also detects AMD's Llano APUs and adds preliminary support for Intel's Sandy Bridge-EP processors. And that's everything that's new in version 1.58. Otherwise, it's same the utility it's always been, giving system owners a detailed rundown of core components, including CPU vitals such as the name, number, core stepping, core voltage, clockspeed, multiplier, cache information, and more; motherboard vendor, model, revision, BIOS model and date, chipset and sensor, and graphic interface; memory frequency, timings, SPD settings, vendor, serial number, and timings table; and Windows and DirectX version. You can download the latest release here.

Cool Site of the Week: Turntable.fm Posted: 24 Jun 2011 09:22 AM PDT When it comes to great ways to discover and share new music or the tunes you've loved for years, the internet has already set the bar pretty high. From sketchy p2p services like the original Napster, to great services like Rdio, Last.fm and Spotify, modern music listeners are spoiled for choice. Turntable.fm--our Cool Site of the Week--takes everything that makes finding and sharing music online great and turns it up to 11, making for the best musical social experience we've ever seen. While still in a semi-closed beta, turntable.fm is already showing incredible promise. The premise is a simple one: Up to five users at a time are invited to spin tunes in any number of rooms, with other users free to drop in and listen to what your room has at any time. DJs can draw upon Turntable.fm's vast music repertoire or upload their own songs to add to the mix. As your song is played, the other DJs and users in the room can up-vote your song selection to legendary status, or ramp it's popularity down far enough to vote it right out of the mix. Building on it's already impressive set of social features, each turntable.fm room also offers a chat interface for users to wax about their favorite tunes over, as well as links to Facebook, Twitter and email to send out invites to your friends with. After using turntable.fm for a mere two days, we're already hooked, and we're sure you'll be too!

Leaked IRC Logs Provides Insight into LulzSec Posted: 24 Jun 2011 09:09 AM PDT On the surface, the hacking group known as LulzSec appears to be a cocky bunch that's seemingly well organized and capable of backing up their bravado, who are unafraid to take on the U.S. government and any other entity they deem worthy of their time and effort. But are they as confident, organized, and capable as they appear to be, or do they fit the mold of the stereotypical teenager hacker, like the 19-year-old who was arrested in the U.K. earlier this week and believed to have played a major role in LulzSec's operations? Leaked IRC logs published today by the U.K.'s Guardian provide some insight into LulzSec and give a glimpse at how the hacking organization works. According to the logs, a 30-year-old security consultant known a "Sabu" controls the group of around six to eight people and keeps everyone in line. "Kayla" supplies the botnet, and "Topiary" is the one responsible for promoting LulzSec's image via press releases and Twitter. "They turn to be obsessed with their coverage in the media, especially in physical newspapers, sharing pictures of coverage they have received in the Wall Street Journal and other papers," the Guardian writes. "They also engineered a misinformation campaign to make people think they are a U.S.-sponsored government team." The seemingly tight-knit group doesn't always see eye-to-eye. Two members quit after LulzSec attacked an FBI site on June 3, prompting Sabu to tell the remaining members that, "You realize we smacked the FBI today. This means everyone in here must remain extremely secure." According to the Guardian, the logs were leaked by a former affiliate named "m_nerva," a move that didn't sit well with LulzSec. "Remember this tweet, m_nerva, for I know you'll read it: your cold jail cell will be haunted with our endless laughter. Game over, child," LulzSec said. The Guardian provides a ton of analysis on LulzSec, which you can read here.

You are subscribed to email updates from Maximum PC - All Articles To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

MMO News

---

• Black Prophecy announces Episode 1 expansion
• Second server opened for Pandora Saga
• CABAL Online announces Episode 6
• Team Fortress 2 now free-to-play
• Genre Variety
• Asda 2 Gameplay – First Look HD

Black Prophecy announces Episode 1 expansion Posted: 24 Jun 2011 04:11 PM PDT Black Prophecy’s first major update, Episode 1: Inferno in Tulima, has been announced. This update will add a new area, Enzo’s Enigmatic Emporium of Exotic Elegance, available at level 15 with new quests, story missions, and more. New will also be bound sectors, guarded by strong opponents designed for groups only. A new instant messaging system will also be added to Black Prophecy, along with new open world sectors, new PvP reward systems, a new weapon type, and new skills. No word as to whether this update, scheduled for July, will go to North American and European servers simultaneously. Black Prophecy is published by gamigo, which also publishes King of Kings 3, Loong, and Cultures Online. Black Prophecy Gameplay Screenshot Source: “Episode 1: Inferno in Tulima” – Black Prophecy gets massive add-on Hamburg, June 23, 2011 – Today the publisher gamigo will provide a glimpse into what’s coming in the next add-on for Black Prophecy. The highlight of this is the region Enzo’s Enigmatic Emporium of Exotic Elegance, which is open to players at Levels 15 and higher and acts as the hub for new missions. It is also used by dubious dealers as a marketplace for goods of all sorts. “Episode 1: Inferno in Tulima” will be released in early July. A new feature in the Black Prophecy universe is the bound sectors: Players play their way from one sector to the next. The passages to the next region are generally guarded by particularly strong opponents that can only be defeated by a group. Additional sectors with this feature will follow. To improve communication between players, the message system has been reworked and based on standard instant messenger systems: Players can recognize their friends by their avatar and talk to them in a separate window. The new in-game e-mail system also permits sending items by cash on delivery to other players. Other new features include: .               New jobs .               New story missions .               New dynamic missions .               New open world sectors .               Changes to the reward system in PvP .               New weapon type .               New offensive and defensive special skills that make battles even more exciting

Second server opened for Pandora Saga Posted: 24 Jun 2011 03:56 PM PDT Pandora Saga has released a second server, named Barbatos, complete with new events to celebrate the occasion. Double experience will be enabled on Barbatos until July 5, and special events will include “Protect a GM” (June 25 and 26), “Hide & Seek,” Scavenger Hunts, questing with GMs, and more. Pandora Saga is published by Atlus Online, which also publishes Neo Steam. Pandora Saga Gameplay Screenshot Source: ATLUS ONLINE LAUNCHES NEW SECOND WORLD, BARBATOS, FOR MMORPG PANDORA SAGA; CELEBRATES WITH NEW EVENTS, QUESTS, ITEMS AND MORE! A whole new world… IRVINE, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22, 2011 – ATLUS Online this week launched a new second world, Barbatos, for its latest massively multiplayer online role-playing game,  Pandora Saga.  In honor of the momentous occasion, a steady flow of new events, quests, and items will offer current players hours of entertainment, while at the same time offering those taking a break the perfect reason to jump back in. A wealth of Barbatos-exclusive special events provide all sorts of rewards and new adventures for players: the “Double EXP” event (6/21-7/5) gives players a chance to get twice as much done in half the time; The “Protect a GM” weekend (6/25-6/26) challenges parties to try and slay opposing GMs in raucous PvP action; the beginner-friendly “Hide & Seek” events (6/21-6/23) helps newcomers find key locations, NPCs, and more.  There are also a number of events and content additions that affect Astaroth, the existing world, including Zero-risk upgrades, the Astian Bounty Hunts, and a slew of new shop additions. The new content and ongoing events demonstrate ATLUS Online’s continued tradition of putting community first, maintaining a constant schedule of events and activities.  Active adventurers, returning players, and newcomers to Pandora Saga are all sure to find something new and exciting with the launch of Barbatos! To register, play, and find more info about Pandora Saga, the newly launched Barbatos, and all the current and upcoming events, visit the official website at http://pandorasaga.atlusonline.com.

CABAL Online announces Episode 6 Posted: 24 Jun 2011 02:29 PM PDT Episode 6: Legacy of Darkness is the latest major update to head to Cabal Online servers later this summer. The update will add a new time-based instance, Maquinas Outpost, where players must kill bosses to gain more time in the dungeon. A new “Dungeon Point” (DP) system will also be introduced, granting players dungeon points for completing major dungeons in the game which can be exchanged for rewards at a new vendor. New world bosses are being introduced into beginner level maps, and more features – including a revision to the upgrading system, new pets and armor, new Astral Bike customizations and upgrades, and improved droprates, will also be released with the update. Cabal Online is published by ESTSoft. CABAL Online Gameplay Screenshot Source: CABAL Online Announces Legacy of Darkness Update Sheffield, June 24th, 2011 – This summer the citizens of Nevareth, the online world of the free-to-play MMO CABAL Online, face their greatest threat yet, as the dark lords of the Metal Clan get set to rise. With the forthcoming release of the latest free expansion for the award-winning fast-paced online game, Episode 6: Legacy of Darkness throws a series of challenging encounters at players of all levels, including new outdoor bosses, a dungeon point system, a revamped upgrading system and a brand new time-based instance Maquinas Outpost. The new group dungeon will challenge even the best gamers, with fast-paced gameplay, hard-hitting bosses, and a unique time-extension system where players have to kill bosses in order to extend the dungeon timer. Great rewards, including the powerful Drei Frame armour, await those brave and strong enough to fight their way through the gruelling encounters. Players completing Maquinas Outpost will not only have the chance to earn some highly rewarding loot but, for the first time, will earn Dungeon Points through the brand new DP system. These points will be earned in all of the games major dungeons and will be exchangeable at a brand new NPC for some incredible rewards.  Never again will a hero's efforts be in vain! The challenges are not just confined to the deepest dungeons of Nevareth and a series of new bosses will roam the beginner level maps. These dangerous monsters are vying for blood, creating a unique opportunity for lower level players to hunt them down, save the world and find some powerful equipment! Episode 6 adds a whole host of exciting new content and other significant additions include: - Revamped upgrading system, giving the player greater control over the process. - New Pets - New Class-binding Armour - New upgrading system for Astral Bikes - New Astral Bike customisation items - Improved Boss droprate - Improved dungeon droprate - Increased success rate for crafting Blended Runes - New Damage Amplifiers for the Mission War - New SP-dice when completing a dungeon - Added ability to rejoin a solo-dungeon even after a disconnect - Renamed Epic Items More information, including the official trailer, screenshots and a full feature list, can be found at the official website http://www.cabalonline.com .

Team Fortress 2 now free-to-play Posted: 24 Jun 2011 01:48 PM PDT Team Fortress 2, Valve’s popular multiplayer first-person shooter, is now free to play and available through Steam. Team Fortress 2 features several classes, eight game modes, over 40 official maps, and even crafting and trading. The game was originally released as part of “The Orange Box,” a purchased bundle of Valve games, and then became available for individual purchase (with occasional free weekends) on Steam. Valve is known for the Half-Life and Portal series as well. Team Fortress 2 Gameplay Screenshot Source: Team Fortress 2 TF2 is now Free To Play Added the Uber Update: http://www.teamfortress.com/uberupdate/ Added PL_Barnblitz, a new Payload map Added all kinds of new goodies! The Main menu now has a “Start Playing” option which presents users with various game modes to choose from. Once selected, the game matches the player into the best available server for that mode. The Crafting interface has been redesigned to accommodate the fact that crafting blueprints are always known to players now. The Item selection screen in Loadouts has been redesigned to support selection among a larger number of items. Training improvements: New training user interface Added “A,W,S,D” movement instruction to Soldier training Added ammo instruction to Engineer training Clarified many instructional strings Added new voting sounds Fixed various Coaching bugs Fixed various gameplay bugs

Genre Variety Posted: 24 Jun 2011 01:33 PM PDT Every day, you can find tons of articles and editorials written by people completely fed up with the lack of genre diversity found in various MMORPGs, whether F2P or not. It’s a common and completely valid complaint. The majority of games are just some bland, generic fantasy blend, or vaguely sci-fi, if they are at all. Then you have the FPS games, and we all know what those entail (you are a soldier of such and such something, go shoot mans with guns). Plenty of people aware of and complaining about this, but are developers actually listening or seeking to add more variety to the gaming industry at large? It certainly doesn’t seem so, and that might be because, as usual, people are every good at complaining about a lack of creativity, but generally unwilling or unable to provide good alternatives, or explain why those alternatives are good. Eden Eternal – Great game, but same old “anime / fantasy” setting In the spirit of good ideas, why don’t we explore some more obscure stuff that’s generally not touched by developers at large? One of my favorite ideas is the distant, paleolithic past of humanity. Exploring the ice age, a time of tribal culture, of bodypaint, of dreadlocks and flint spears, when bronze weaponry was rare, if around at all. A time of mysticism and shadows, when we might be able to discover the ruins of previously unknown civilizations or great mysteries. Perhaps we could have a kind of shamanistic magic system? We could fight huge, monstrous mammoths and tigers, maybe even old, now extinct monsters. The possibilities are limitless! We could even divide the races into neanderthals and early Homo Sapiens. That would rock socks. It’d be silly of me to turn this article into a list of my own weird ideas for MMO themes, so I won’t. We take for granted very often that extremely interesting alternatives do exist, like Planet Calypso, Minecraft, and other such creative, deep, mold-breaking titles. Even a game like Pirates of the Burning Sea go to a place rarely explored by having a setting taking place within the golden age of colonial power and exploration. There are just so many points in human history (and even our distant future) that can be explored within the gaming experience. MMORPGs in particular can make for such incredible diversions, and it seems criminal that, even now, so many developers are desperately, pointlessly trying to make the WoW lightning strike twice. Planet Calypso – Unique Sci-Fi MMORPG As I mentioned in a another editorial, with the proliferation of digital downloading we’ll likely be seeing more and more creativity pouring into the MMORPG scene. Now that F2P has been proven as a successful and sustainable model for any MMO, that truth is only going to become even more obvious as the market is flooded with experiments and ideas. As the man behind Puzzle Pirates once described, the ideal method of creating a new MMO is allowing your players in on the process of making the game and building the community as early as possible. It’s likely that we’re no longer going to see long, extremely expensive and involved development cycles in the future. It’s far more likely that most games are going to be released fairly early as F2P, so the playerbase can participate and help guide the devs towards making something all can enjoy. So, with all of this in mind, are you excited for the future of MMO gaming? What are some ideas for a setting you haven’t seen and think should be explored? Do you think that devs will continue to beat their head against "the WoW problem" until the end of days? Why or why not? I personally contend that a new era of gaming is upon us, but some might disagree. Whatever the case, it’s certainly true that things DO get stale eventually, and at some point, developers of entertainment need to switch up their game a bit to keep their customers interested. Unless you’re a drug dealer, in which case all you really need to do is sit around and hand people bags of crack or whatever. Note: I do not condone the use or distribution of crack. Gamers are tweaked out enough on sugar and caffeine as it is. By, B. Olivia

Asda 2 Gameplay – First Look HD Posted: 24 Jun 2011 01:22 PM PDT To Learn More about the game check out ourAsda 2 Page. Asda 2 is a 3D anime inspired fantasy MMORPG published by GamesCampus – the same company behind the original Asda Story, Shot Online, Scarlet lEgacy, Heroes in the Sky, Legend of Edda, MLB Dugout Heroes, and Drift City. Asda 2 is an upgraded version of the original Asda Story game. It features numerous new classes, an enhanced soul mate system (with marriage), and other gameplay improvements. It is a separate game from the original Asda Story – meaning players cannot transfer their characters over from the original game. To learn more about Eden Eternal, check out the official MMOHut Eden Eternal page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

You are subscribed to email updates from MMO Hut To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

MMO Updates

---

• SWTOR has fun storming the castle
• Massively Exclusive: TERA shows off two new BAMs
• Wasteland Diaries: Coming soon
• NCsoft announces San Diego Comic-Con events and schedule
• Hellgate open beta to begin June 30th [Updated]
• The Daily Grind: Do you prefer digital copies or boxed copies of games?
• Black Prophecy heads into the Inferno with Episode 1
• The MMO Report: What's with the creepy guy edition
• The Guild Counsel: The Syndicate's Sean Stalzer talks guild management
• Captain's Log: The lower decks
• Anarchy Online celebrates 10 years this weekend
• TERA E3 recap video explains political system
• Second Life's CEO Rod Humble talks anniversaries
• Pottermore officially announced, but what exactly is it?
• Star Wars Galaxies ages eight years gracefully
• One Shots: No, seriously. Wrecking face!
• DDO and LotRO prep bonus weekends for all
• Ask Massively: Let me show you pictures of my cat edition
• Mike 'Gabe' Krahulik speaks his mind about SWTOR
• Behind the Mask: The incentives are backwards
• Aion hosting bonus AP and rifting event

SWTOR has fun storming the castle Posted: 24 Jun 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic Nothing says "I'm a scruffy-looking nerf herder" like a swift kick to the groin. In the latest trailer from Star War: The Old Republic, we see this Smuggler and her Republic companions storm the castle of Bouris Ulgo, an Alderaanian General who has usurped the throne after a period of political unrest. BioWare Director of Production Dallas Dickinson introduces us to one of the world arcs for SWTOR that requires a group to complete. This is not a single-player instance to which you can decide to bring your friends along if you want nor is it a Flashpoint. This quest can be picked up while you're on Alderaan and be completed as you explore the world. If you have been keeping up with the trailers coming from the BioWare camp, you might notice that the animation and texturing continue to improve, particularly in-combat animations and facial expressions. Take a look at this two-and-a-half-minute teaser after the break and let us know what you think. Continue reading SWTOR has fun storming the castle SWTOR has fun storming the castle originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively Exclusive: TERA shows off two new BAMs Posted: 24 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA Last month we brought you exclusive news of two new TERA BAMs (that's an En Masse acronym for big-ass monster, if you're wondering). This month we're moving on from the fimbrilisks and vampirs and cozying up to a pair of new cold-hearted killers that inhabit the icy wastes in the far reaches of Arborea. First up is our friend the wendigo, and what a clever, inventive, and unabashedly large friend he is. Despite being a BAM, the wendigo is known for his nuance, particularly when it comes to his unique vocalization techniques. Next we have the ice giant, and as his name implies, he's also quite massive. Unlike the wendigo, ice giants are about as lacking in subtlety as it's possible to be, and most examples of the species spend their days plotting the return of their glory days while trampling unwary adventurers who stray too close their domains. Read up on both new BAMs and check out the exclusive screens after the break. Continue reading Massively Exclusive: TERA shows off two new BAMs Massively Exclusive: TERA shows off two new BAMs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wasteland Diaries: Coming soon Posted: 24 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Real life, Fallen Earth, Business models, Opinion, Free-to-play, Wasteland Diaries, Post-Apocalyptic Due to the new partnership between Fallen Earth and GamersFirst, there are some huge changes coming in the very near future and massive changes headed our way before the end of the year. Sector 4 is going to be released soon along with a major re-write of the skills and abilities system. There are still a great many questions that remain unanswered, but the developers on both sides have dropped some subtle and not-so-subtle hints here and there. There are still many players asking questions in global chat and on the forums that have been answered already. A few of the answers given have left me scratching my head, but I'm still optimistic at this point. But there's still a lot of confusion within the community about what is coming and when. I've dug up many of the responses to the toughest questions by Marie Croall of Fallen Earth and Joe Willmon of GamersFirst, who are holding their cards close to their chests but have nevertheless given up some good info. After the cut, I'll try to clarify what's going on in the short and long term, but it may result in some speculation on both our parts. Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Coming soon Wasteland Diaries: Coming soon originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

NCsoft announces San Diego Comic-Con events and schedule Posted: 24 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: City of Heroes, City of Villains, Guild Wars, Events, real-world, News items, Guild Wars 2 If you're planning to attend the San Diego Comic-Con next month, and if you happen to be a fan of Guild Wars or City of Heroes, then NCsoft wants you to swing by its booth while you're in the neighborhood. Attendees will be able "to meet artists and developers from City of Heroes Freedom and Guild Wars 2." NCsoft will be giving the latest news on City of Heroes' recently announced free-to-play transition as well as giving fans the opportunity to take Guild Wars 2's Engineer class for a spin. In addition to all of that, City of Heroes' Desdemona will be making appearances at the booth while City of Heroes comic artist David "Noble Savage" Nakayama whips up free illustrations of selected CoH players' characters. The artists of Guild Wars 2 will also be present to sign limited-edition postcard art books. But of course the party doesn't stop at the convention; NCsoft's Fan Meet & Greet takes place Friday the 22nd. Fans will have to check the NCsoft schedule for details on how to acquire tickets as it is a ticketed event, but those fortunate enough to attend will have the privilege of rubbing elbows with CoH and GW2 developers and artists. And of course, fans will be afforded the opportunity to go hands-on with City of Heroes Freedom and Guild Wars 2. For more information, check out the official announcement and NCsoft's Comic-Con schedule. NCsoft announces San Diego Comic-Con events and schedule originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hellgate open beta to begin June 30th [Updated] Posted: 24 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News items, Hellgate: London, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic Hellgate's closed beta has been going on since the beginning of this month, but now it's almost time to kick open the doors and blast some monsters in open beta. T3FUN announced today that the freshly rebooted Hellgate will be entering open beta in six days on June 30th. Strap up your armor and choose your weapons and get ready to jump into the seedy supernatural underbelly of the world of Hellgate. Just make sure you come prepared by checking out our previous coverage of the game! [Update: The official announcement has been released, and it contains news of a few new features for the game. Duel Areas will be included for players who wish to take part in some team-based PvP combat, while those with a PvE inclination can test their mettle with the Cow Room (surely an homage to Diablo II's infamous Cow Level), where players face off against wave after wave of zombies in hopes of netting some rare loot. For the full press release, hit the official site.] Hellgate open beta to begin June 30th [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Do you prefer digital copies or boxed copies of games? Posted: 24 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Long ago, you had one way of obtaining a new game -- you went to a store that carried video games and brought it home. The advent of digital distribution has changed that, however -- it's quite easy to pick up a new game on Steam or via download, with certain games like Global Agenda primarily seeing distribution via digital outlets. Considering that most games offer a client download and patches will frequently update the entire game anyhow, getting a box almost seems quaint. Of course, if you're used to having a hard copy on hand, it might not even be an issue of whether or not it's worth buying a boxed copy. You want a game, you go out and buy it. So when you have the option, do you head out to the mall and pick up a boxed copy to have a physical representation of the game? Or do you just download and not fuss about with what amounts to sentimental clutter? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind! The Daily Grind: Do you prefer digital copies or boxed copies of games? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Black Prophecy heads into the Inferno with Episode 1 Posted: 23 Jun 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, Free-to-play, Black Prophecy While we're still waiting for Black Prophecy to officially launch here in North America -- where it's still in open beta -- Reakktor Media is already going full throttle with the next update for the game called Episode 1: Inferno in Tulima. In Episode 1, level 15+ players will head to Enzo's Enigmatic Emporium of Exotic Elegance (say that three times fast) to tackle a set of new missions. Black Prophecy is also adding an interesting progression obstacle in the form of bound sectors. To get to the next sector -- and next hub -- groups of players will have to duke it out with fairly tough enemies guarding the passageways. Episode 1 will also include a better message system, in-game email, new jobs, additional missions, and a change in PvP rewards. Black Prophecy's first update is slated for an early July release. To help you during this nail-biting waiting period, why not help yourself to a complimentary screenshot below? Gallery: Black Prophecy Black Prophecy heads into the Inferno with Episode 1 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The MMO Report: What's with the creepy guy edition Posted: 23 Jun 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Video, MMO industry, News items, The MMO Report In this edition of the MMO Report, Casey Schreiner's epic beard is upstaged by the creepy guy kissing his desk. The desk is gorgeous, but I don't think the make-out session was consensual. No means no, creepy guy. As for MMO news, Casey is back from E3, and a bunch of games go free-to-play. There has to be a connection between those two events. Also, Casey cannot help but correlate the patch in his favorite bum-hugging jeans with the patches in RIFT and World of Warcraft. Understandably so, they both keep water rifts at bay, and at the same time, quench fiery lands. Lastly, the MMO Report shows us that the pen is mightier than even the laser sword, as Casey introduces us to last Friday's Star Wars: The Old Republic dev blog and displays the latest fan-created memes. Catch the full MMO Report after the break, and maybe you can tell us why that guy felt the need to profess his love for furniture at that moment. Continue reading The MMO Report: What's with the creepy guy edition The MMO Report: What's with the creepy guy edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Guild Counsel: The Syndicate's Sean Stalzer talks guild management Posted: 23 Jun 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Guilds, Interviews, Massively meta, Massively Interviews, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous In last week's Guild Counsel, Sean "Dragons" Stalzer took the time to talk about his new book, The Syndicate: Beyond the Legend, available at Lulu.com. In this sequel to Legend of the Syndicate, Sean gives readers an update on his guild's accomplishments both in game and out, and last week in part one of his interview, he spoke about his thoughts on the industry and where it's headed. This week, Sean discusses the other major focus of his book: guild management. In part two of our interview, he talks about the keys to running a longtime, successful guild. He also discusses how guild management has changed over the years and how his guild has evolved and grown to become drama-free. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: The Syndicate's Sean Stalzer talks guild management The Guild Counsel: The Syndicate's Sean Stalzer talks guild management originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: The lower decks Posted: 23 Jun 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Expansions, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log Captain's Log, Stardate 64977.3... Spock, Riker, Kira, Worf, Chakotay, and T'Pol. What do they all have in common? They are the notable men and women who served under their Captains as First Officer. Joret, Sito, Alyssa, Taurik, Sam and Geniveve. What do they all have in common? No one knows who the heck they are. In the world of Star Trek, these "unknowns" are the members of the lower decks, people whose work goes unnoticed, whose accomplishments are unacknowledged, and who are often killed off at the end of the episode when you finally do get to know them. While the ships in Star Trek Online currently seem to be manned only by the Captain, his or her Bridge Officers (BOff), and some random crewmen walking around the ship, this is about to change. In the next couple months, get ready to welcome new members to your ship's lower decks. The Duty Officer (DOff) system will be adding a new form of gameplay to STO and give players even more ways to level characters and become immersed in the universe surrounding them. While there are a ton of random pieces of information about it floating out there, I think that Captain's Log is the perfect place to put it all together and give you a more concise picture of how it will work. Ensign, warp 10! It's time to attend your new favorite class, DOffs 101... Continue reading Captain's Log: The lower decks Captain's Log: The lower decks originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Anarchy Online celebrates 10 years this weekend Posted: 23 Jun 2011 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Anarchy Online, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play It seems like there's an MMO anniversary happening every other day around these parts. While it's indeed commendable for some of these games to last a year or three, Funcom's Anarchy Online has just reached the lofty summit reserved for the likes of EverQuest and Ultima Online: Yep, Rubi-Ka is 10 years old and still going strong. Funcom has issued a press release that's heavy on the innovative aspects of the world's first sci-fi MMORPG. "Instancing, massive player vs. player combat, digital download of games, in-game advertisement, virtual world radio, concerts, virtual items, and freemium business models" are just a few of the initiatives that showed up early in Anarchy Online. The release also serves to accentuate how much has changed since the game's genesis, as it notes that AO's original 1995 design document questioned the future viability of the internet and hoped for 2,500 subscribers. No 10-year anniversary would be complete without a respectable bash, and Funcom's release also outlines the festivities coming your way in the form of events and new content. The party (jointly produced by Funcom and Gridstream Productions) starts tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. EDT and will continue into the weekend. Even if you're not up for virtual dancing, you'll want to check it out for a new birthday raid, new vehicles, clothing, gear, action figures, and pets. Head to the official website to learn more. Anarchy Online celebrates 10 years this weekend originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

TERA E3 recap video explains political system Posted: 23 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA E3 2011 is a distant memory, but En Masse is still getting a bit of mileage out of the event thanks to a newly released TERA video compilation. The trailer shows off portions of the closed-doors media presentation from this month's trade show, and the footage is heavy on action combat and lush sequences featuring the game's gorgeous visuals. The clip also devotes a good portion of its running time to the recently announced political system, and producers Chris Hager and Stefan Ramirez fire off some pretty tantalizing soundbytes relating to player interaction and the possibility of affecting the game world. "That means getting votes, buying votes, smearing your opponent, taking out your competition, raising taxes, making tons of cash money, controlling your province, putting players in prison, running your own events, managing your own towns, and just doing whatever you want," Ramirez says. Staying in power to continue doing whatever you want is the trick, of course, and the video spends a good amount of time detailing ways to maintain control over your province. While it all sounds pretty spectacular, it also raises plenty of questions (like, how is all of that going to matter in an MMO that lacks serious consequences in terms of a death penalty or gear/stat loss?). Whatever the answers, we can't wait to learn more. Check out the full video after the cut. Continue reading TERA E3 recap video explains political system TERA E3 recap video explains political system originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Second Life's CEO Rod Humble talks anniversaries Posted: 23 Jun 2011 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Video, Interviews, Second Life, Free-to-play, Virtual worlds, Massively Interviews Second Life recently hit a milestone in the MMORPG industry: eight years in service. This is ancient in MMO terms, and yet the game has shown continued growth. How would you explain such success, especially when the game... er, world... is such an enigma? Even the players are not sure how to describe it. Well, we called out the big guns and sat down with Rod Humble, CEO of Linden Lab, the maker of Second Life. He was kind enough to not only do the interview but allow us to embed the audio in the article for you to hear! Don't worry; we've also written up much of what was said, so you can choose to listen, read, or both! Click past the cut and let's get right to the interview with Rod as he talks about success, explaining Second Life and some of the surprises he's met with along the way. Continue reading Second Life's CEO Rod Humble talks anniversaries Second Life's CEO Rod Humble talks anniversaries originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Pottermore officially announced, but what exactly is it? Posted: 23 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, New titles, News items Attention mudbloods, muggles, and wizards alike! We reported yesterday on the cryptic Harry Potter-related Pottermore, which -- according to a leaked memo -- was rumored to be an online game. Not but a short while ago, the big reveal took place via an announcement video from J.K. Rowling on YouTube. Is Pottermore really the big Harry Potter MMO that fans have been clamoring for? Well... maybe. Information is still scarce, with the unveiling of Pottermore's true purpose remaining just as cryptic as it has been since the discovery of the website. The new addition to the immensely popular Harry Potter franchise, according to the announcement video, is "the same story with a few crucial additions," the most important of which is you, the reader. Early reports claim that members of the site, which officially launches in October, will be able to join one of the four houses of Hogwarts and become wizards in their own right. Part social networking site, part online game, and all incredibly mysterious, Pottermore is certain to be a monumental addition to the world of Harry Potter. What exactly the experience will entail, however, remains to be seen. Keep a (mad-)eye here for more news as it develops, and apparate past the cut for the official announcement. Continue reading Pottermore officially announced, but what exactly is it? Pottermore officially announced, but what exactly is it? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Wars Galaxies ages eight years gracefully Posted: 23 Jun 2011 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Events, real-world, Interviews, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Roleplaying Much like the current Star Wars MMO in development, Star Wars Galaxies had a very active forum community before the game even launched. Many of those who were a part of that original community still play the game. Although I was not an active member of that first community, I certainly read what was happening and was extremely excited when the game launched on June 23rd, 2003. For the first time in history, a player was allowed to create his own character to live in the Star Wars universe. And despite the issues that would come a couple of years later, the community in the game is still strong and active. I logged into my old stomping grounds of Starsider on a character that some people would recognize. Since I am an avid roleplayer and that community is still very active in SWG, I joined one of the chat channels I knew and asked where I could possibly find some RP events for the evening. It was still early, so I was not expecting much. To my surprise, I received an immediate reply. The members of the channel said there were not any events that they were aware of, but I may be able to find some RP in a couple of player-owned cities. One of these cities was the city I used to spend all my time in: Red Sands. I had to see what was going on there after years of being away. I was take aback when I arrived. The leaders of the town had placed an invading force of NPCs about the city and were having a stand-off with the citizens, a scene that appeared to be right out of a western. The story continues after the break. Find out why Star Wars Galaxies is still active after eight years from Pilot Senator Anishor, the developers, and the active players. Gallery: 8 years of Star Wars Galaxies Continue reading Star Wars Galaxies ages eight years gracefully Star Wars Galaxies ages eight years gracefully originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

One Shots: No, seriously. Wrecking face! Posted: 23 Jun 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, One Shots, RIFT Today's One Shots image comes to us courtesy of Massively's newest team member and co-leader of Massively's RIFT guild, Matt Daniel. Matt took a brief pause in tearing a swatch through the baddies of Telara to share this image of Scarlet Gorge: Here's a picture of my Warrior Alir gettin' ready to wreck some Endless Court face in Scarlet Gorge! WRECKING. FACE. Keep your eyes on One Shots all week to see what the Massively staff loves playing and showing off. We're closing in on next week's theme, which is all about gear. Break out your most impressive weapon or your flashiest armor, snap a screenshot, and send it in so we can share your awesomeness (it's a word!) with all of Massively! The week after that is pet week, and we can't wait to see your favorite pet companions and hear all about them. Just send a screenshot to oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a paragraph or two telling us about what we're seeing! Gallery: One Shots: 2011 One Shots: No, seriously. Wrecking face! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

DDO and LotRO prep bonus weekends for all Posted: 23 Jun 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Events, in-game, Free-to-play We're not even at the dog days of summer -- more like the puppy days -- and Turbine is already throwing players a bone with special bonus weekends in both Dungeons & Dragons Online and Lord of the Rings Online. And thus we hit our canine pun limit for the day. DDO is bumping the experience factor up by a respectable 25% across the board and throwing in a +1 loot bonus (meaning better loot in chests) for good measure. It's a great time to come back to the game, too, as players can enjoy the recently released Update 10. Meanwhile, LotRO is encouraging you to farm mobs like crazy, as monster kill XP is going up by 50% (which can stack with the 25% XP trinket from the Rise of Isengard pre-order). Currently, the game is hosting its annual Summer Festival. The four-day bonus weekend for both games runs from today through Sunday, June 26th. DDO and LotRO prep bonus weekends for all originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ask Massively: Let me show you pictures of my cat edition Posted: 23 Jun 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous Oh, wait, I can't show you pictures of my cat because he's currently hiding. I can show you pictures of what my cat normally looks like, except that we recently had him shaved so that the hot summer wouldn't be hitting him with a full long-haired blue coat. He's decided to repay this kindness by sulking and screaming at Ms. Lady and me because we have humiliated him. To be fair, he does look pretty pathetic now. Even if he does resemble a tiny lion. Now that we've lost absolutely everyone but the hardcore Ask Massively readers, we can delve into this week's questions, centering on TERA's political system and the curious grip that free-to-play games can hold upon our wallets. As always, you can mail your own questions along to ask@massively.com or leave them in the comment field to be answered in a future edition of the column. Continue reading Ask Massively: Let me show you pictures of my cat edition Ask Massively: Let me show you pictures of my cat edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mike 'Gabe' Krahulik speaks his mind about SWTOR Posted: 23 Jun 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic Sometimes being a celebrity in the gaming world has its perks. Take Mike Krahulik from Penny Arcade, for example. People instantly recognize him, they want his opinion on everything, and he can get in on any beta he wants. All right, that last bit was a stretch, but he did get into game testing for Star Wars: The Old Republic. And after much begging, the marketing team at BioWare gave "Gabe" the chance to publicly sound off about TOR. Guess what? He loved it. Based on a statement he made in the Penny Arcade blog, Krahulik believes that this Star Wars MMO lives up to its expectations, unlike another Star Wars MMO from the past. Specifically, he compares questing in The Old Republic to questing in other MMOs: "Turning the quests into an interactive experience makes me care a lot more about them. A quest is still a chance to get XP, money and loot but it's also an opportunity to advance your character towards the dark or light side based on your decisions. In most MMO's taking quests is what you do so that you can go play. In SW:TOR, taking quests is playing." To catch his full 1200-word write-up on The Old Republic, jump over to the Penny Arcade blog. Find out whether he feels the game is "Star Wars-y" enough and what he thinks of his "shimmering blue glory." Mike 'Gabe' Krahulik speaks his mind about SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Behind the Mask: The incentives are backwards Posted: 23 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-play, Champions Online, Behind the Mask This week in Behind the Mask, we will not be discussing Aftershock, the new Comic Series adventure that started several weeks ago. I intend to talk about Aftershock after it's finished -- if I talked about each new issue of Aftershock, I wouldn't be able to talk about other things, since there's a new issue every week. Instead, I'm going to talk about the broad aspect of teaming in Champions Online, and more importantly, the rewards for teaming. Teaming in CO is as fun as in other MMORPGs because playing with other people is generally a fun activity. Unfortunately, there isn't much material incentive to team. It's faster to get experience and gear solo, making lairs the only real reason to team. I team all the time, though -- entirely because it's more fun to play with friends. Continue reading Behind the Mask: The incentives are backwards Behind the Mask: The incentives are backwards originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Aion hosting bonus AP and rifting event Posted: 23 Jun 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, MMO industry, PvP, News items What's new in Aion these days? Well, the paint is still drying on 2.5 (otherwise known as Empyrean Calling), but that hasn't stopped NCsoft from trotting out another in a long line of temporary rifting and AP (Abyss Point) events. The latest promotion began yesterday and will run through the server maintenance period on June 29th. For this event, the defensive buffs in Heiron and Beluslan have been removed (but they're still up in Eltnen and Morheim). In other words, if you're looking for high-level rifting action, now's the time. As far as the AP portion of the event goes, you'll earn more and keep more. AP loss from PvP deaths in the Abyss and Silentera Canyon has been cut in half, and monsters in both zones will reward more AP per kill (though NCsoft's website blurb doesn't say exactly how much). In short, now is a great time to check out all the changes courtesy of 2.5, and we'd love to read about your reactions in the comments. Aion hosting bonus AP and rifting event originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

You are subscribed to email updates from Massively To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610