General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Rumor: Is Google Drive Still Alive?

Posted: 25 Sep 2011 01:09 PM PDT

GDriveRumors of a Google branded cloud storage solution are almost as old as the company itself, but yet, it never materialized. The search giant offers a ton of solutions to help migrate your computing needs online, but when it comes to managing files they have been pretty slow to respond. In Steven Levy's in-depth look at the inner workings of Google titled "In The Plex", he claims Googlers viewed files as an outdated concept, and uses that logic to explain why the Gdrive never came to be. Years of silence, combined with recent confirmation in print would normally have lead us to write of the service for good, but according to TechCrunch, we might in-fact finally see a Gdrive after all. 

The evidence of the service's existence was captured by social media consultant name Johannes Wignad, showing what appears to be a modified version of Google Docs. The redesign appears to be better suited to managing files, as opposed to just static documents, and could well be an internal change being tested by the Google staff prior to roll out. TechCrunch also claims to have inside information suggesting that it will be more than just Windows Live Skydrive style web storage, and will even include a Dropbox style sync client for the desktops and mobile devices. 

Do you have a hole in your life that the Gdrive could fill? Or is Dropbox taking care of your needs?

Gdrive

(Image Credit: TechCrunch.com)

$10 Music Piracy Fine: Fair or Extortion?

Posted: 25 Sep 2011 12:38 PM PDT

LawsuitThe music industry is sending out notices to suspected copyright infringers asking for money. And while this might sound like "business as usual", a new report has confirmed they are indeed mixing things up a bit. Instead of demanding $3,000 or more per infraction, file-sharing monitoring firm Digital Rights Corp has confirmed they are taking the shotgun approach to finding the guilty, asking for a mere $10 a pop

Instead of the more expensive process of soliciting ISP's for information and then going through the courts, DRC has discovered a way to automate the process, and handle these claims in bulk. When they discover an IP address suspected of infringement, they will send out a DMCA takedown notice to the ISP, which will pass it along to the subscriber's email address on file. The email contains a link to the DRC website, where most likely, they will offer to settle your claim for a mere $10. Conveniently enough, you are offered the option to pay the fine using any major credit card. 

The strangest twist in all of this is that DRC has no idea who the actual infringement claim is being sent to, and doesn't actually have any information on file until you settle the claim. Even if you believe in the DMCA, copyright, and all the social justice Digital Rights claims to stand for, sending a settlement note out blindly like this doesn't feel like justice.

In addition to threatening to shut down your Internet service if you don't pay the $10 fine, the email also warns you that you could be liable for up to $150,000 in damages. What if you didn't commit the offense you ask? Well according to the company's FAQ, and I quote: 

"I have never downloaded any music or movies from the Internet, why did I get this notice?

A computer using the IP Address"

Not sure what they are going for here, but it doesn't look like they have an option for "not guilty".

email

(Image Credit: TorrentFreak.com)

NVidia Claims PC Gaming Sales Will Overtake Consoles By 2014 -Hardware Already 10x More Powerful

Posted: 25 Sep 2011 11:56 AM PDT

NvidiaNVidia is famous for talking up the potential of PC gaming, but considering that the company's profits are almost entirely dependent on the success of that genre, many have taken it with a grain of salt. For years they have claimed PC gaming is on the rise, but now they can actually put a date to it. According to analysts commissioned by the graphics chip maker, PC gaming revenue will overtake consoles by 2014. They also presented a slide which shows the progression of GPU hardware overtime compared to consoles, and it paints a pretty clear picture. While the PS3 & Xbox 360 may have given a high end GPU a run for their money back in 2005, in 2011 PC hardware is potentially 10x faster than current generation consoles.  

The exact science behind NVidia claims wasn't entirely transparent, especially when you consider that Valve, one of the largest online PC retailers doesn't share its sales data with the public. Despite our reservations we willing to give Nvidia and their market research firm the benefit of the doubt, and let you decide for yourself if you agree with the assessment. 

Do you believe PC gaming is poised to go mainstream? Or will it forever remain a niche?

Sales

Performance

RIM Experiments with $299 Playbook Pricing In Canada – Some Models Sell Out

Posted: 25 Sep 2011 10:19 AM PDT

PlaybookHP didn't do much with the Touchpad, but they did at least prove that there is a healthy market out there for a $99 tablet. RIM isn't quite ready to go that crazy with its struggling Playbook just yet, but they have started to test the waters. Last week RIM dropped the price of each model of playbook by an even $100 in Canada, and also began offering an additional $100 gift card at two of the country's biggest brick & mortar retailers, Future Shop and Best Buy. How has it been working out so far? Both retailers are reporting they are officially sold out.

This quick online stock check method isn't intended to declare RIM's playbook a winner at $299, but it does make you wonder just how big the market for a less expensive iPad really is. For under $300 the flash enabled Playbook would make for a great web surfing couch tablet, but it certainly isn't without its flaws. Basic features such as email and calendar have yet to materialize, though according to reports this should finally be rectified by the end of September.

Even if $299 turns out to be the magic number for iPad competitors such as the Playbook, we still don't know if companies can make enough money at this price point to justify the engineering investment. This is especially true for Research in Motion who has to continue innovating on not just hardware front, but software development as well. 

Would you pick up a Playbook at $200 less than the equivalently spec'd iPad? Or are you waiting to see if RIM will pull an HP and take the fire sale route. 

Future Shop

Futureshop

Best Buy

Best Buy

MMO News

MMO News


MMOHut Weekly Recap #53 September 25 – DC Universe Online, Digimon, & More

Posted: 25 Sep 2011 12:08 PM PDT

MMO Weekly News #53 – DC Universe Online, Digimon, & More

Weekly MMO News summary for the week ended September 25 (Sept 19 – Sept 25). A quick look and discussion for every major announcement and update during the week! This week we discussed updates from the following games: DC Universe Online, Scarlet Legacy, Dragon Nest, 9Dragons, Global Agenda, Luvinia Online, Prius Online, and Digimon Masters Online. The biggest news this week is definitely the piece about Sony Online Entertainment making DC Universe Online free to play. You can view all the individual news articles mention over at the MMOHut.com News section.

Bounty Hounds Online Gameplay – First Look HD

Posted: 24 Sep 2011 07:29 PM PDT

To Learn More About the Game Check out our Bounty Hounds Online Page.

Bounty Hounds Online is a 3D sci-fi themed MMORPG published by Suba Games – the same company behind Priston Tale, Mission Against Terror, Ace Online and several other free to play titles. Aside from RF Online, Zero Online, Hellgate, and a handful of other titles, Bounty Hounds Online is a sci-fi themed MMORPG, which in and of itself makes the game stand out from the crowd. The game features five playable classes, four factions, and a gorgeous game world to explore. To learn more about Bounty Hounds Online check out the official MMOHut Bounty Hounds Online page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Anvil of Crom: What's wrong with AoC's crafting?

Posted: 25 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Anvil of Crom
In the wake of Funcom's glorious announcement that Age of Conan is due for an extreme tradeskill makeover in 2012, I thought it might be fun to brainstorm a few crafting-related design ideas.

To be frank, I think any change will be an improvement, as it's hard to fathom a more boring and ultimately worthless gameplay system than what currently passes for crafting in Hyboria. This is a pretty huge topic, of course, so join me after the cut for the first part of what will likely be an ongoing discussion over the next few months. Before we can talk about solutions, though, we've got to identify what's wrong with AoC's crafting.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: What's wrong with AoC's crafting?

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: What's wrong with AoC's crafting? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Global Chat: September 19-25, 2011

    Posted: 25 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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    City of Heroes
    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!

    This week we had a lot of discussion of reality in our MMOs -- yes, it's a real consideration, even in a world where we're slinging fireballs from our hands and swinging 12-foot axes with ease! There was also some discussion on the financial side of things, always a popular topic. Follow along after the jump for some of the best of what our readers had to say this week!

    Continue reading Global Chat: September 19-25, 2011

    MassivelyGlobal Chat: September 19-25, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: What enemies are almost too cute to kill?

      Posted: 25 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT

      Filed under: , , , , ,

      The Final Fantasy games are kind of swimming in adorable monsters.
      You probably know that in most games, your first enemies are not going to be dragons with jaws that could shred steel. They're going to be something that's fairly non-threatening. But sometimes that goes overboard, and when you step out to do your first quest, the enemies in front of you have all the traits of the most adorable critter ever. Five minutes later, you're finally working up the nerve to actually fight one of them. But you can't because you've already named him Mr. Snuggletimes and you can't stop typing that you'll always remember him.

      OK, perhaps that's a touch extreme. But there are enemies in almost every game -- mandragoras from Final Fantasy XI, foxes from Lord of the Rings Online, dragon whelps in World of Warcraft -- that are hard not to find so adorable as to defy your normal killing urge. So what enemies strike you as being almost too cute to actually kill? Given the choice, are there critters you'd rather snuggle than slay?

      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 enemies are almost too cute to kill? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        XL Games teases new ArcheAge screenshots

        Posted: 24 Sep 2011 08:00 PM PDT

        Filed under: , , , , , ,

        ArcheAge -  player ships
        ArcheAge may be a ways off from its North American and European debut, but that's not stopping fans of XL Games' upcoming sandpark from scouring the far corners of the web for the latest news.

        Today we've got a few new screenshots for you to ogle, and they cover everything from the fantasy title's stunning naturescapes, to some newly revealed personal-sized boats, to what appears to be one of the hang-gliders from the ChinaJoy trailer released earlier this year. Fan site ArcheAge Online has the details, and the source article says that XL is teasing these shots as a quick preview of what players can expect during the fourth phase of Korean closed beta testing.

        CBT4 doesn't have a fixed schedule as of yet, but we'll keep you up to date on it, as well as all the latest ArcheAge news as it happens.

        MassivelyXL Games teases new ArcheAge screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Treat yourself to a makeover with Allods Online's Hall of Changes

        Posted: 24 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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        Screenshot -- Allods Online -- Ooh girl, check out dat beehive
        Last weekend, we took a look at Allods Online's upcoming Astral Ship customization options. As it turns out, Astral Ships aren't the only things that players will be able to make fabulous. When patch 2.0.06 hits the live servers, players will be able to give their characters a makeover with the introduction of the Hall of Changes.

        Upon entering the mythical (and stylish!) Hall of Changes, players will be able to recreate their characters from the ground up. And when we say "from the ground up," we mean it; if you're tired of not having an hourglass figure and a bootylicious posterior, forget exercise! Just change your gender. Each race will also receive two brand-new hairstyles -- one for each gender -- as well as a new skin texture option, which will allow players to modify their characters' skin textures regardless of skin color.

        For the full details, head on over to the Allods official site and give it a look!

        MassivelyTreat yourself to a makeover with Allods Online's Hall of Changes originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        City of Heroes invites you to invite a friend

        Posted: 24 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT

        Filed under: , , , ,

        City of Heroes
        It's a busy weekend over at City of Heroes, as not only is the Freedom program in full swing, but Paragon Studios is prepping a new replacement refer-a-friend program to rope in as many stray cattle players as possible.

        Current City of Heroes VIP players will soon once again be able to send out invites to friends, family members, and unusually intelligent heifers who have either never played the game before or who are former players whose accounts have been inactive for over 90 days. If the recipient decides to become a VIP player (i.e., subscriber), then both the inviter and invitee will find themselves the proud possessors of 500 additional Paragon Points to spend in the in-game store.

        Friends can either be invited through the NCsoft website or the Paragon Market. While the program is not yet operational, Paragon Studios promises to let us know the moment it goes live.

        MassivelyCity of Heroes invites you to invite a friend originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        One Shots: How did you get up there?

        Posted: 24 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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        Barradin's estate
        Today's One Shots screenshot comes with a bit of a mystery. Massively reader and Guild Wars fan Connor visited Pre-Searing for this image:
        Here's a picture of Barradin's Estate in Pre-Searing Guild Wars, aerial-style! I always loved Pre-Searing; it has a peace and calm to it. Yep, I did take this myself -- if you Google around, you can find out how.
        We're all about looking up this week on One Shots! Show us your favorite aerial image -- whether it be taken from the ground looking up or from atop a high-flying mount or tall perch, we want to see!

        Next week we're throwing the ball back to you. There's no theme and no requirement; just send us your favorite screenshots and tell us why you love them. Add your name and a little bit about the image, send it in to oneshots@massively.com, and we'll feature it in this week's One Shots!

        MassivelyOne Shots: How did you get up there? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Mog Log: A year that wasn't

          Posted: 24 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT

          Filed under: , , , , , ,

          The Mog Log header image by A. Fienemann
          So it's been a year since the release of Final Fantasy XIV. Well, all right, that's a a bit debatable, what with the differing launch times for the collector's edition and the general retail edition, but for the purposes of this article and my own memory, I'm going to go ahead and focus on that one-year anniversary right now. I remember driving down to pick the game up a year ago on Thursday. That's close enough.

          And there's a lot that's changed since the game was released. It's a well-known fact that I liked the game even in its initial state, but it had some pretty major issues and some points of lacking implementation. And it doesn't feel like we're a year out from launch as a result of all the things that the game has changed since launch, with each patch bringing not just new content but major overhauls to the existing game. So was there even a point to launching the game right then, considering both the reception and the fact that we're still without a subscription charge?

          Continue reading The Mog Log: A year that wasn't

          MassivelyThe Mog Log: A year that wasn't originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            General gaming

            General gaming


            Castlevania Chronicles: We've Been Killing Dracula for 25 Years

            Posted: 25 Sep 2011 01:11 AM PDT

            Feature

            Header

            Castlevania Chronicles: We've Been Killing Dracula for 25 Years

            Looking back at a quarter-century of (mostly) greatness.

            By: Jeremy Parish September 25, 2011

            Twenty-five years ago, on September 26, 1986, Konami launched a brand new game in Japan that would go on to become one of the longest continuously running franchises in the medium's history. Akumajou Dracula -- roughly translating to "Demon Castle Dracula," which became "Castlevania" in the West in accordance with Konami's weird obsession with pun-laden localization in the '80s -- was actually two different games on two different platforms. The better-known of the two was a straight-up action platformer for Famicom Disk System, the rewritable NES add-on released only in Japan. On the MSX computer, on the other hand, Akumajou Dracula featured the same general play mechanics and aesthetics as its FDS counterpart but wrapped them in a more labyrinthine format, compensating for the MSX's lack of smooth video scrolling by turning its castle stages into self-contained mazes.

            Castlevania was a different kind of game than players were accustomed to, especially on Famicom. Unlike so many of the other platformers that had followed in the wake of Super Mario Bros.' success (Mario having launched on Famicom almost a year to the day before Akumajou Dracula), Konami's game was slow-paced, methodical, and possessed a fairly realistic ambiance. The hero, Simon Belmondo (Belmont in the West), was proportioned like an actual human adult. Japanese games of the era tended to warp the proportions of characters to give their faces more real estate and allow for cute, visually expressive designs. Simon had a tiny four-pixel face with no details, his characterization instead coming through his determined gait and unique method of attack. The Vampire Killer whip was an uncommon choice for any video game protagonist outside of Indiana Jones, striking a middle-range balance between fists and guns. The game's unconventional look, pacing, and weaponry set it apart from its peers.

            Star Wars: The Old Republic Has a Release Date

            Posted: 24 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT

            We truly have a Star Wars Holiday Special this year. Earlier today as reported by IGN UK at the Eurogamer Expo, Bioware co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk revealed that December 20th is when we can expect Star Wars: The Old Republic to hit retail.

            Subscription details were also revealed and it's pretty standard compared to other MMORPG's. The first 30 days will be free with $14.99 being the price-per-month fee. Alternate plans will be available such as paying $41.97 for three months and $77.94 for six months at a time.

            MMOGaming News

            MMOGaming News


            TERA Autumn Updates with New Highlights

            Posted:

            TERA Autumn Updates with New Highlights


            Developed by Bluehole and published by NHN's game portal Hangame, Unreal Engine 3-based TERA has recently announced the latest autumn update through its official site.

            Why RPG-Adapted Japanese MMOs always a Failure?

            Posted:

            Why RPG-Adapted Japanese MMOs always a Failure?


            Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy are considered as two milestone Japanese PRGs. However, the glory has gradually faded. The MMO series adapted from these two RPGs disappointed players again and again. Square Enix, the developer of these two series is on the brink of collapse.

            Valve Decided to Push up Dota 2 Release Date

            Posted:

            Valve Decided to Push up Dota 2 Release Date


            Players can expect to play Dota 2 much sooner! It is announced that Valve has decided to throw its original "Dumb"plan and release Dota 2 as fast as they can!

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