General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Report: GoDaddy on Verge of Being Acquired for Over $2 Billion

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 08:27 AM PDT

Back in September, The Wall Street Journal reported that the world's premier domain registrar GoDaddy had put itself on the block. The paper seems to enjoy a monopoly over news relating to the possible sale of the privately held domain registrar and web hosting company. It is now reporting that the GoDaddy Group is on the verge of being acquired for as much as a whopping $2.5 billion.

According to the paper's sources, acquisition talks between the Internet company and a troika of investors, KKR & Co., Silver Lake Partners and Technology Crossover Ventures, could yield a deal as early as next week. The report suggests that a deal, if there is one, could be worth anywhere between $2 billion and $2.5 billion.

Honestly, we did not bother any of the parties named in this matter for comments, because invariably companies on the verge of a huge deal don't comment on rumors or speculation. However, we are trying to get through to African elephants, given their keen interest in GoDaddy CEO and founder Bob Parsons.

MMO News

MMO News


Team Fortress 2 Gameplay – First Look HD

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 12:25 PM PDT

To Learn More about the game check out our Team Fortress 2[Page may not be up yet] Page.

Team Fortress 2 is a 3D cartoony MMOFPS published by Valve – the same company behind Alien Swarm. The game was also developed by Valve – the company best known for creating the popular Half Life and Counter-Strike franchises. It’s their first major game to go “free to play”. Team Fortress 2 originally released as a buy to play game back in 2007 and went free to play on June 23, 2011. To learn more about Team Fortress 2, check out the official MMOHut Team Fortress 2 page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

Atlantica Online to add Valkyrie

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 10:18 PM PDT

Atlantica Online’s next update comes June 29, and will bring with it a new mercenary.

Morrighan, a Valkyrie, wields a sword and shield, and can imbue her weapons with holy energy. She can also boost the speed of her allies. The update will also add an item history system, revamp the Colosseum League, add resting experience, and new events for the Fourth of July.

Atlantica Online is published by Nexon, which also publishes Mabinogi, MapleStory, and Vindictus.

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Atlantica Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Flight of the Valkyrie

New mercenary coming to Atlantica Online in June 29 update

Atlantica Online, the real-time strategy MMO from Nexon, is bringing players the highly anticipated new mercenary, the Valkyrie, coming in a content update for the month of June.

The deadly and versatile Morrighan is a female Valkyrie defended by the heavens. She wields a godly sword and shield that deals devastating damage to foes while sealing her enemies' physical attacks. The Valkyrie also uses heavenly power granted to her by the gods to imbue her sword with holy energy, increasing allies' attack speeds, which provides players with a keen competitive edge in battle.

Brand new interface changes will also be featured in this month's update, including an item history system which will allow players to see everything about their gear, from when it was created to everyone who owned it.

Great new game enhancing features have been added to shake up core game play. Colosseum League has been completely revamped, giving exceptionally skilled lower level players a chance to attain glory against Atlantica veterans. Even players who want to take a quick break can now gain experience just by sitting down.

To celebrate the summer, Atlantica Online will be hosting a massive in-game festival. This includes a Fourth of July celebration featuring mercenary and weapon giveaways, new event dungeons, fireworks and some limited edition patriotic items. Tons of exciting surprises, gifts and even in-game feasts await old and new players this summer.

To learn more about Atlantica Online and to download and play for free, visit http://atlantica.nexon.net/.

Closed beta for Rusty Hearts announced

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 05:03 PM PDT

Closed beta testing for Rusty Hearts will begin July 27, Perfect World Entertainment has announced.

Rusty Hearts is a cel-shaded, action-style MMORPG that will feature controller support, multiple characters, difficulty modes, quests, and PvP.

Perfect World Entertainment publishes several other MMOs, including Battle of the Immortals, Jade Dynasty, and Ether Saga Online.

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Rusty Hearts Gameplay Screenshot

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CLOSED BETA DATE FOR RUSTY HEARTS IS NAILED DOWN FOR NORTH AMERICA

June 24, 2011 – Foster City, Calif. – Perfect World Entertainment Inc., a wholly owned US subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD) is gearing up to begin Closed Beta Testing (CBT) for Rusty Hearts . The ultimate hack and slash dungeon-crawler and multiplayer online game adds new elements to Perfect World Entertainment’s existing diversified game portfolio by offering players cel-shaded anime art style, fast twitch combat, and controller support. Rusty Hearts CBT phase is scheduled to launch on July 27, 2011.

“Many fans are anxiously waiting to play Rusty Hearts and we are very excited that we will soon be able to welcome players into the fast paced action game,” said Mark Hill, Product Manager for Rusty Hearts . “We’ve been working hard to ensure a smooth closed beta launch for Rusty Hearts and aim to continue raising players’ expectations for free-to-play games.”

In closed beta, players can anticipate a thrilling gaming experience and epic dungeon crawling fights led by the unique heroes of Rusty Hearts , each with their own compelling backstory.  Among the many features that the game has to offer, players will get to challenge themselves with multiple difficulty modes, complete quests, level up and customize their characters, gear up with wicked weapons, and find a PvP experience that suits their taste.

For more information on Rusty Hearts or on how to obtain a closed beta key, please visit the official website at http://RH.perfectworld.com/. To join the community of Rusty Hearts’ fans, visit http://www.facebook.com/RustyHeartsGame/.

Hellgate begins open beta June 30

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 04:54 PM PDT

Hellgate – the new version of Hellgate: London (including Hellgate: Tokyo) is now set to begin open beta on June 30 for North America and Europe.

Open beta will add two new game modes. First is a PvP Duel Area, where players can battle in the Abandoned Passage, Black Wall Way, Forgotten Grave, or Passage of Hallucination; here they can fight in a death match, strategically use Recovery Crystals, and earn PvP points for special rewards.

Second is the Cow Room, a room full of normal and mummified zombies. Players must create a special key to enter, and if they defeat the boss, can earn the best and rarest Hellgate items.

Four special events, including rewards for leveling up, will also take place during open beta. Hellgate is published by T3Fun, which also publishes Aika Online (Global).

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Hellgate Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

T3 Entertainment's MMO Hellgate will launch Open Beta Testing for North American and European audiences on June 30th, 2011. The Open Beta will include two new game modes – the PvP Duel Area and the zombie-infested Cow Room.

Duel Area allows players to participate in a player-vs.-player mode. Players may opt to modify game settings and other battle rules while choosing from four possible areas: Abandoned Passage, Black Wall Way, Forgotten Grave, and Passage of Hallucination. In the Duel Area, players enter Death Match mode and must kill members of the opposing team. To aid combatants in the frenzy, Recovery Crystals are available near each team's base, allowing players to recover HP, MP and shields. The winning team will get PvP points, which may be used to purchase accessories, pets and other items in-game. PvP updates will be posted on Hellgate's website, where weekly top ten players will be rewarded.

Despite its name, the Cow Room won't involve our milk-making friends. Instead, it will be crawling with a team of zombies – normal zombies and mummified. While the zombies may appear weak, players must remain vigilant and slay the Cow Room boss and his zombie cronies, all while avoiding a vision-reducing Sandstorm. But in order to enter the Cow Room, players first need to complete a special recipe to create a key. Players that can handle the madness have a chance to gain the newest and rarest Hellgate item drops.

In addition to the two new game modes, Hellgate will celebrate the Open Beta launch with four special events to strengthen the growing Hellgate community. The Guild Reservoir event will encourage teamwork and collaboration as guilds with 30 or more members join together to earn rewards including nano shards or Palladiums on a per member basis. The Daily Supplies event will run for one month and will scatter daily supplies ranging from Resurrection scrolls to Power message abilities around the Greenwich headquarters. Once a day players will have a chance to acquire up to four awesome items.

How can players level up faster? To Level in Hell will challenge players to level up as fast as they can until level 20. The Game Masters will pick 10 lucky entries to win 3,000 TCoins each. Hellgate will be giving away more than ever before with their final event for Open Beta, Level and Be Rewarded, which will bestow special prizes on all players who reach level 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, and 50. There is truly a special prize waiting for everyone when you enter the Hellgate Open Beta on June 30!

To find out more about Hellgate and to sign up for the OBT, visit http://hellgate.t3fun.com.

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Anvil of Crom: Can AoC Unrated keep up with the Joneses?

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Sooooo, City of Heroes and LEGO Universe caught the free-to-play bug this week. Fallen Earth did so the week before. What does this have to do with Age of Conan? Quite a lot, if you think about it, and that's what I'm given to doing every week around this time as I sit down to hum a few bars relating to Funcom's Hyboria.

In case you've forgotten (and it's easy to do thanks to the rash of announcements lately), Age of Conan is gearing up for its own version of freemium MMORPG madness. At this point it's anyone's guess as to when the big day will actually roll around, though, and the longer Funcom waits, the more it concerns me.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Can AoC Unrated keep up with the Joneses?

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Can AoC Unrated keep up with the Joneses? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Chat: Tough decisions edition

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat!

Today's Global Chat focuses on developer decisions. From business models to mechanics and even platforms, our readers had some interesting things to say. Follow along after the jump to read, then add your own thoughts!

Continue reading Global Chat: Tough decisions edition

MassivelyGlobal Chat: Tough decisions edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What Star Wars Galaxies features will you miss the most?

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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Yep, it's another Star Wars Galaxies-flavored Daily Grind (if you think the sentimentality is thick now, wait until the week of December 15th). When the long-running sandbox title rides into the sunset this winter, it will be taking with it quite a few unique features that have been deemed unnecessary in all the games since.

Whether we're talking about the Dancer, Image Designer, and Musician functionality, the space game that allows for interaction and personalization inside the spacecraft as well as out, or the player-generated content features made possible by the Storyteller and Chronicle systems, there's a lot to love about SWG even if you don't particularly love Star Wars (or the game's disregard for Star Wars lore).

Today's breakfast topic follows on from yesterday's, but this time around we want to know about feature sets instead of personal memories. What SWG features will you miss the most?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What Star Wars Galaxies features will you miss the most? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: E-sports are serious business

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Saturday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Defense of the Ancients, Bloodline Champions, and more.

E-sports are becoming increasingly popular in the West, with top teams receiving corporate sponsorship deals and tournament organisers fielding prize funds worth thousands of dollars. Last week saw the start of Dreamhack 2011 in Sweden, featuring competitive tournaments for MOBAs like LoL, HoN, Bloodline Champions and more. Last week we also checked out Aida Arenas' Arena Hustle mode and got the first information on new online World War II RTS Operation Gamma 41.

In this week's Not So Massively, the Dreamhack tournaments come to a close as their winners carry giant sacks with dollar signs on them to the nearest bank. For those of you who have always wanted to know what high-end competitive play looks like in League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth or Bloodline Champions, videos of the tournament action are now available. This week we also check out League of Legends' new champion spotlight on Yorick to gravedigger and Realm of the Titans' hero spotlight on HaZ'zard. Finally, we get a look at a new dev interview with Rise of Immortals' lead designer Amanda Flock and more server troubles for Heroes of Newerth.

Continue reading Not So Massively: E-sports are serious business

MassivelyNot So Massively: E-sports are serious business originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rusty Hearts announces closed beta date

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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Rusty Hearts, the upcoming side-scrolling hack-and-slash MMO from Perfect World Entertainment, has finally been slated to enter closed beta. On July 27th, players will be able to jump into the cel-shaded dungeon crawler (with which our own Beau Hindman was able to go hands-on at E3) and start slicin' some baddies.

According to the press release, players should expect "a thrilling gaming experience and epic dungeon crawling fights led by the unique heroes of Rusty Hearts, each with their own compelling backstory," a game in which they can smack their way through multiple dungeon difficulties in search of shiny loot. And finally, to commemorate the beta announcement, PWE has released a brand-new gameplay trailer for your consumption, which you can check out after the cut.

Continue reading Rusty Hearts announces closed beta date

MassivelyRusty Hearts announces closed beta date originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: A peaceful interlude

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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Today's One Shots comes from Guild Wars and was snapped by yours truly:
This was taken on the docks of the Isle of Solitude, one of the guild halls available in Guild Wars. It's always been one of my favorite places to park my character while waiting for a scheduled event or just chatting. The view is perfect, and you can even hear the water lapping against the shore.
Keep your eyes on One Shots all week to see what the Massively staff loves playing and showing off. Next week's theme is all about gear. It'll be your chance to show off your most epic armor and weapons and tell us all about how you acquired them! The week after that is pet week, and we can't wait to see your awesome 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!

MassivelyOne Shots: A peaceful interlude originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Allods Online patch 2.0.04 includes... underwear?

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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Players have already been treated to a couple of sneak peeks at the new features coming to gPotato's Allods Online with the upcoming patch 2.0.04, and yet the stream of information continues! The game's team released yet another small preview of what's to come with the update on the site today, and from the looks of things, it would seem that Allods players will have their hands full.

Allods' Summer Festival arrives with patch 2.0.04, providing players with a plethora of new daily quests as well as the opportunity to procure brand-spankin'-new vanity items such as wings and undergarments (yes, undergarments). Even mounts will get in on the festivities with new mount color patterns available only to "elite players" who can conquer the challenges of Twilight Isle. The update also brings training dummies, changes to the Astral system, and more. For the full details on this upcoming addition, check out the official site.

MassivelyAllods Online patch 2.0.04 includes... underwear? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Level Y

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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Why are you leveling?

It's a fair question in Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV and really pretty much any MMO, especially because it's one of those questions you don't really ask while you're knee-deep in the game. You're just playing, you see that your level isn't at the level it could be, and you start doing what you have to do in order to make that number go just a little bit higher. By the classic model in Final Fantasy XI, you find a party, and in Final Fantasy XIV, you get some leves and head out to the races.

But that doesn't address the question. You know what you're doing, and I know what you're doing -- the question is why you're doing it in the first place. Even in a game without levels, you shouldn't be leveling. The answer to that question should always be confusion not over the reason but over the very concept.

So I'll ask again -- why are you leveling?

Continue reading The Mog Log: Level Y

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Level Y originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO updates

MMO updates


Guild Wars 2 - Underwater combat footage

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 12:49 PM PDT


(Source) Well, I do know that most big websites have posted about the underwater combat articles found in ArenaNet's Guild Wars 2, but GameSpot posted an actual walkthrough footage of this system. From my memory, I don't think any online games have such an extensive underwater combat feature, each detail meticulously thought out. According to reports, Guild Wars 2 is still slated for release at the end of the year. It will be Buy to Play (B2P) with no monthly fees.


MMORPG News

MMORPG News


Dungeon Fighter Online: June 29th Brings a Free Skill Point Reset for ALL Characters

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 10:03 AM PDT

Starting to become unhappy with your character's build in Dungeon Fighter Online? Well guess what, my friend, you are in luck! On June 29th, the DFO team has announced that everyone will be receiving Lethe's Bell, a tool which, if used, will reset all of your skill points and allow you to redistribute! Check it!

Star Trek Online: STOked: Ground Combat

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 09:53 AM PDT

STOked is back this week with a look at Season 4 and what it has to offer. With the new Ground Combat system now live on the Tribble server (Test server), the boys also have a visit from Lead Designer Al Rivera to show off the new system.

DC Universe Online: Thanking the Community

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 09:44 AM PDT

The team at SOE behind DCUO is rewarding their community for being patient during recent "issues that took us some time to resolve" by throwing a reward their way in a bid to help get everyone just a few steps closer to their Tier 2 armor in preparation of next month's update.

Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising: Patch 1.0.8.1 Notes Released

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 09:39 AM PDT

It's been a busy week for the team at Heatwave Interactive! The game launched on Tuesday and they've already been hard at work on patch 1.0.8.1, making improvements to everything from Billing to the Minion System to the Social UI. Check out all the details.

CrimeCraft: Full Notes for Summer Update - Set for June 29th

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 09:12 AM PDT

The full notes for the Summer Update that the CrimeCraft team has been dropping hints about for months now have finally been released, right alongside a release date! Head on over to the website to see what exactly is coming. It's a long read, but well worth it if you're a player of the game, or thinking of picking it up. Take a look!

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