General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

The F2P Revolution: 25 Killer Online Games You Can Play For Free

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:40 PM PDT

One of the biggest trends in gaming over the last half-decade has been the rise of the free to play (F2P) online business model. You might have heard it called "freemium," or the pejorative "pay to win," but whatever you call it, it's here to stay. 

You may not have heard of all the free to play games coming out recently (they don't tend to have the same marketing budget as your Battlefields and Call of Dutys) but you should probably be paying a little more attention. Sure, some of them are a little shallow, or unfair to non-paying customers, but there are F2P games in every genre, and a lot of them are top notch.

So why pay to play? Read on for our list of 25 top-notch free online games. For each game, we'll tell you what you get for free and what costs money, so you never get surprised.

 

Google Maps Now Adding Building Interiors

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:56 PM PDT

mapsGoogle announced last May that it intended to begin adding business interiors to Google Maps Street View. Now the first test images are rolling out. Users browsing maps will be invited into shops and offices that make use of the same 360-degree panning view that we're used to with street view. Considering the very different nature of the content, Google has changed the way they acquire these images.

If a business owner is interested in having their interior added to Google Maps, they have to fill out an application online. Google will then contact the applicant to set up a time for a Google photographer to come and capture the business for posterity. If at a later date, the owner or any subsequent owner decides that they do not want the images up, a request can be submitted.

Google says it has worked with thousands of businesses to get photos of building interiors. Some worry about potential burglers using the images to plan break-ins, but we'll just have to wait and see if that's the case. Would you make use of this feature in Google Maps?

The Nexus One Will Not Be Getting a Tasty Ice Cream Sandwich

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:30 PM PDT

nexusThe venerable Nexus One was launched in early 2010 and set the stage for a new breed of faster Android devices. Sales were lackluster, but a certain contingent of Android lovers embraced the Nexus One, and many still use it today. Google, however, is less smitten with this phone of yesteryear. The Big G announced today that the Nexus One will not be getting an official update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Nexus One launched with Android 2.1, and was later updated to Android 2.2. Early this year it was bumped up again to Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Google is saying that the device is just too old to properly run ICS, but did not give any specifics. The processor is rated at 1GHz, and hold up fairly well, though the GPU is sluggish by today's standards. Probably the sticking point is the small amount of internal ROM, which likely isn't enough to fit ICS.

Users of this device that have not already, will probably want to consider rooting and unlocking the bootloader. This will allow the flashing of the plethora of optimized Android 4.0 ROMs that are bound to appear after the code is open sourced. Any Nexus One owners out there that want to vent?

Future Tense: Apple Sauce

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 11:44 AM PDT

(This was written before Steve Jobs died, and it was never intended to be disrespectful, only slyly satirical.  Because of publishing schedules, it is only appearing now.  I admired Jobs and I will sincerely miss his presence in the consumer electronics industry.  His influence went far beyond his own company.  He was a human catalyst accelerating the pace of computer evolution to warp speed.)

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1984 was and still is a year forever tainted by George Orwell's novel of the same name.  Orwell, "Big Brother", and even the year itself have become shorthand terms for totalitarianism or anything that even hints of it, whether it's a security camera or a political philosophy you disagree with or Microsoft's Windows validation software.  "Orwellian" is a way of saying "like the Nazis, but without Godwin's Law". 

During the 1984 Super Bowl broadcast, Apple showed one of the most memorable commercials ever filmed.  If you've never seen it, you can probably find it on YouTube.  Directed by Blade Runner's Ridley Scott, the commercial shows a woman in a track suit running through a totalitarian environment.  She dashes past all the drone-like people sitting on benches and hurls a hammer at a huge screen that represents the Big Brother of George Orwell's novel, 1984. 

That was how Apple introduced the Macintosh computer.  They advertised that it was "the computer for the rest of us."  It was a marketing triumph.  They sold a lot of machines and established Apple Computers as an innovative, forward-thinking company.  But over here in what was once the IBM-compatible world, but was now becoming the PC world, the rest of us did not want a computer that was overpriced, underpowered, and had no place for the user to add in any board or peripheral that wasn't sold by Apple. 

Apple has continued that philosophy of the "walled garden" for more than a quarter of a century and that 1984 commercial was weirdly prophetic—only the mindless drones on the benches are Apple's customers and it should be Steve Jobs' picture up on the big screen. 

Have you ever been to one of those Apple product announcement gatherings?  All that orgasmic cheering and shouting—it's like the Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl, only without "Can't Buy Me Love" and "Ticket To Ride." 

Apple has become a cult. 

As cults go, it's a pretty good one.  You don't have to abandon your family, you don't have to wear funny robes and bang a tambourine, and you don't have to eat any poisoned pudding to catch a ride on a UFO.  On the downside, you still have to spend a lot of money to join this cult and it's very hard to get out, but at least you get some really upscale, high-status hardware to advertise your membership.  The hardware is still overpriced and underpowered, but you get to pretend that you bought "a computer for the best of us."   (That whole "rest of us" thing seems to have been forgotten.  Corporate exclusivity is now the game.)  

To its credit, Apple succeeds because it isn't afraid to innovate.  The company takes big chances.  Throughout the 90's, the company invested hundreds of thousands of man-hours and millions of dollars into the development and marketing of products like the Apple III, Lisa, Newton, Pippin, Macintosh TV, Macintosh Portable, the G4 Cube, the QuickTake camera, and the ROKR phone.  Any company with that history would probably be history itself, but Apple is too mean to die.  It's the Moriarty of computer companies.  It just keeps coming back, each time smarter.  

What's true about most of Apple's failures is that they weren't also-rans or me-too or copycat products.  They were attempts to expand digital technology forward.  They represented a genuine effort to design and build a different future.  The failures weren't a failure of vision as much as they were a failure of technology.  The ideas were good, but the chips weren't powerful enough, the batteries didn't last long enough, the software didn't deliver the functionality the users wanted.  They failed because they were a reach too far—for the moment.

But one big success can pay for a dozen failures.  And it is the innovative aspect of Apple's products that has sustained its cult-like appeal in the customer-base since the first Apple ][ was built.  "New" and "different" are always exciting.  Every advertising expert knows this.  Paste "Now With Blue Crystals!" on the front of the detergent box and sales go up.   (I'm not making this up.  I'm thinking of adding blue crystals to my website.)   Twenty years ago, the detergent makers sold laundry pre-soak products "With Phosphates!"  When it turned out that phosphates put a beer-like head of suds on your drinking water, the revamped products were advertised as "Now Without Phosphates!" 

Fortunately for Apple, the company's products do not need blue crystals.  (I don't know about the phosphates though.)  In the last ten years, Apple has done a marvelous job of creating whole new product lines, and in doing so, has reinvented a large part of the consumer electronics market. 

There were music players long before the iPod—the Sony Walkman was a standard for an entire generation—but the iPod was the seed crystal that transformed portable music.  You didn't have to carry a box of cassettes or discs, everything was already in the player.  And the player was small enough to fit into a pocket.  Oh, and it was hip.  Apple's marketing is as innovative as its products. Apple doesn't just sell products, it sells style.    

But if the iPod was a game-changer, it was only a warmup for the iPhone.  Before the iPhone, the must-have cellphone was a Motorola flip phone.  You could pop it open and say, "Kirk here.  Beam me up, Scotty."  After the iPhone, those things were quaint little antiques.  The iPhone transformed an entire industry.  Cellphones disappeared, smart phones became the new standard.  And they were hip.  Another victory for Apple's marketing.    

Where the iPod and the iPhone were reinventions of existing product niches, the iPad represents the creation of a whole new kind of computer.  It changes our relationship with information by making the internet a portable experience.  People who don't want to bother schlepping a laptop seem to have no problem pulling a tablet out of a backpack or a purse.  The add-on that takes the iPad from fascinating to lustworthy is a cover that doubles as a wireless keyboard, so you can use it as a notebook as well as a tablet. 

Of course, every other computer and electronics company has been playing catch-up with Apple for ten years.  (The first iPod was released in October of 2001.)  Creative marketed a superior media player called the Zen, but they couldn't get enough traction in the marketplace to be a viable alternative.  Microsoft came out with an even better media player, the Zune, with the same result. 

The same conditions occurred in the smartphone market.  HTC, Motorola, Samsung, LG and others are all playing the game of "beat the iPhone."  The Samsung Galaxy S is superior to the iPhone (it's much lighter, it has a better screen and the Gorilla glass is damn near scratch-proof) but the iPhone continues to hold the attention of the media.  Apple is so good at marketing itself as a brand and its customer base responds like Star Wars fans, lining up at the Apple stores hours and days before a new product goes on sale.  Did I say cult?  Cults should be so popular. 

Apple is still the leader in the product niches it has created, but creating a niche doesn't guarantee permanent ownership.  PC users tend to be skeptical of fruit-flavored products because they come from a walled garden.  "Plays well with others" is not going to be on Apple's report card this year either.  The competition in the tablet market is growing ferocious and it's only going to get more so.  The primary issues are screen, chip(s), weight, interface, apps, cameras, and price.  Samsung has an attractive rival in the Galaxy tablet, but Apple is throwing multiple lawsuits in the path of Samsung and Samsung is predictably counter-suing Apple.  Both are using the courts to prevent the other from selling their tablets in key markets.   

Apple has also done something else to slow down the competition—something smart from a business perspective, but also ugly.  They have signed exclusivity deals with their suppliers so that the high-end technology that goes into an iPad cannot be sold to Apple's competitors.  (Those of you who used to complain that Microsoft was a big bully…how do you feel about this?) 

While lawsuits and exclusivity deals may slow down some of the competition in the tablet market, it won't be enough to stop the inevitable tsunami of new products.  In the long run, other suppliers will step up to sell state-of-the-art hardware to Apple's competitors.  All those other companies know they have to surpass the iPad to compete.  So manufacturers will add better cameras, higher-resolution screens, Gorilla glass and other features that the iPad doesn't have.  And a lot of suppliers would rather sell high-end hardware to many companies, not just one.  And after Windows 8 hits the streets, users could have a much more dynamic interface as an option, one that is expected to integrate easily with all their other hardware. 

Unlike the iPod and the iPhone, both of which are still market-leaders in their respective niches, the iPad may not have the same legs in the marketplace.  As cheaper and more powerful units start hitting the store shelves (like Amazon's Kindle Fire and T-Mobile's Springboard) consumers may find those tablets tastier than the iPad.  The tablet wars have only just begun. 

What do you think?

   

Apple Granted New "Slide To Unlock" Patent, Expect Lawsuits To Start Flying Soon

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 11:27 AM PDT

As if Apple's ridiculous tablet design patent didn't hold enough ominous tidings for the mobile tech industry, the US Patent and Trademark Office just awarded the company another ludicrous claim: that's right, "slide to unlock" is officially an Apple patent. That means all the non-Apple phones and tablets that use the omnipresent unlocking maneuver are possibly infringing on Apple's intellectual property – which could lead to complex legal battles that tie up competitors' products, as Apple has done with the Samsung Galaxy Tab in Australia.

Even 9to5Mac, which broke the news, admits that's it ridiculous – but it's legal until a court finds prior art against it or declares it invalid. Interestingly enough, Apple tried using an older "Slide to Unlock" patent in an injunction attempt against Samsung in the Netherlands, but the Dutch judge tossed out the claim and declared the patent invalid. According to FOSS Patents, Apple filed the original version of the European patent on December 23, 2005; a company called Neonode had released a Windows CE phone earlier that year that already had a slide to unlock feature. How's that for prior art? In the Dutch case, Samsung also cited a publication from 1992 that discussed touchscreen slide to unlock technology. Plus, CNET amusingly points out that the head-hunting Predator used a slide to unlock feature on his alien gadgets way back in 1987.

Since the European version of Apple's original slide to unlock patent, patent 7,657,849, was declared invalid, the new US version includes the following additional verbiage: In addition, there is a need for sensory feedback to the user regarding progress towards satisfaction of a user input condition that is required for the transition to occur. Presumably, Apple is banking on the fact that the Neonode phone did not have any type of sensory feedback and is trying to stop US court arguments before they begin. But does sensory feedback really make the iPhone version of slide to unlock a new, patentable invention compared to the Neonode version?

Hopefully, US patent 8,046,721 won't stay valid for long; no doubt Google, Samsung and others are already picking it over with a fine-toothed comb and preparing legal strategies to combat it.

AZiO Levetron Mech4 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is Spill Proof, Modular

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 11:06 AM PDT

Mechanical keyboards offer an orgy of satisfying keystrokes for your fingers (how's that for a visual?), which is one of the reasons we're excited to learn about AZiO's soon-to-be-released Levetron Mech4 mechanical plank for gamers. In addition to those sweet, sweet Cherry MX (Black) mechanical keys, the Levetron sets itself apart with a modular design and by being resistant to spills.

We're told this gnarly looking plank has a switch life cycle of 50 million keystrokes. How much space it takes up on your desktop is partially up to you -- the numpad is modular, and so are a set of six dedicated macro triggers that clip onto the top of the keyboard (which are in addition to 5 macro keys on the left side with an A/B switch).

"The most accented and probably greatest notable feature of the Levetron Mech4 Gaming Keyboard is the modular configuration, specifically the detachable numeric keypad," said Wilson Tang, Marketing Vice President at Azio Corporation. "By allowing the numeric keypad to be attached to either side of the keyboard, gamers can use these keys as additional macro keys, customize them for extra functions, or simply use them as a standard numeric keypad to improve your game and win!"

Other highlights include anti-ghosting keys, three levels of adjustable height with a non-slip base, a 6-foot braided cable with gold connector, a pair of low-power USB ports, volume knob, the ability to disable the Windows Menu key, and unlimited profiles.

The Levetron Mech4 keyboard will be available starting October 30, 2011 for $110. In the meantime, check out our photo gallery below.

Image Credit: AZiO

Windows Phone 7 App of the Week: Crafting Guide

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 11:03 AM PDT

If you've ever spent any time playing an RPG or RTS of any kind, you know the biggest learning curve is figuring out what items or materials you need to build that sweet piece of gear your buddy carries around. The different combinations, tools, and techniques required by different games can also add to the confusion. The reality is learning the build tree in a particular game is the key to your survival and is the biggest obstacle between you and world domination.

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Age of Empires Online is the latest in Microsoft's long line of Real-Time Strategy games. While not the most well-received RTS in history, the game is free to play and is worth a look for gamers on a budget. To aid in the learning curve of building items in Age of Empires Online, Microsoft has released Crafting Guide for Windows Phone 7. Crafting Guide provides you a searchable and sortable database of the items you can build within the Age of Empires game, and gives you the recipe or steps needed to build or acquire the item. You also have the option of entering the materials you have access to, and Crafting Guide will provide you with a selection of items you can build from the chosen materials.

   

Crafting Guide is available as a free download from the Windows Phone Marketplace.

Thermaltake Slashes Level 10 GT's MSRP Through End Of November

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 10:27 AM PDT

If you're going to build a big, badass PC, you need a big, badass case to house that awesome 3-way SLI you're planning on installing. The Level 10 GT chassis by Thermaltake is one such monstrosity. Yeah, its compartmentalized design is, well, not for everyone, but we still liked it enough that we gave it a 9 score a few months back -- despite its hefty $280 price tag. If that sticker cost was a bit too high, we've got some good news; Thermaltake has dropped the MSRP of the case to $200 through the end of November.

Take note, though, that the $200 price is the MSRP, not the direct cost; oddly enough, you'll still pony up the original $280 if you buy the Level 10 GT directly from Thermaltake. That nifty looking Level 10 GT Snow Edition case isn't part of the deal, either. It's still sitting pretty at $280. But if you head over to Amazon, Newegg, or your online retailer of choice, you'll find the Level 10 GT already available at less than $200. Snatch it up while you can: the offer expires on November 30th.

MSI Unveils Z68MA-G43 Motherboard

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 10:23 AM PDT

In the midst of the all the spy shots of upcoming X79 motherboards that surfaced this past week, MSI today announced a board you can use right now. It's the Z68MA-G43 for socket LGA1155 processor owners, which rules out support for Sandy Bridge-E, though it does adopt the latest PCI Express Gen 3 high-speed data transfer standard, MSI says.

The board has four DIMM slots with support for up to 32GB of DDR3-2133 (OC) memory. It has two PCI-E x16 ports with CrossFireX support, a pair of PCI-E x2 ports, two SATA 6Gbps ports, four SATA 3Gbps ports, RAID 0/1/5/10 support, GbE LAN, two USB 2.0 ports on the rear, six USB 2.0 ports, VGA, HDMI, and DVI connectivity.

On the software side, the Z68MA-G43 sports a proprietary dual interface integrated UEFI BIOS, OC Genie II overclocking utility, Winki 3 pre-boot Linux environment, and a few other bells and whistles.

No word on price or availability.

Product Page

Image Credit: MSI

Graphics Card Partners Losing Sleep over 28nm Manufacturing Woes

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 10:02 AM PDT

Poor yields and other challenges associated with the 28nm manufacturing process have Nvidia's and AMD's add-in board (AIB) partners starting to voice concerns about next generation GPUs, specifically Kepler (Nvidia) and Southern Islands (AMD). Both chip designers are turning to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to produce 28nm chips, and the lingering concern is that past issues may again present themselves.

According to DigiTimes, this has AIBs feeling conservative about upcoming 28nm chips. TSMC's issues with 40nm parts led to weak yields, and it's possible the same thing could happen with 28nm. And if that weren't enough, AIBs are also concerned about weakening demand for videocards and lower than expected gross margins, DigiTimes says.

Board partners are in a tough place. Sales of high-end discrete GPUs are down, and today's CPUs with integrated graphics are slowly cutting into sales of entry-level and mid-range cards. Throw in potential manufacturing problems and it's easy to see why AIBs less than optimistic.
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMO News

MMO News

The Sims Social

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:37 PM PDT

The Sims Social is a 3D life simulation game by EA Playfish that's based off the popular Sims franchise. Players create and control their own avatar character within a unique virtual world. Choose their appearance, traits, and practice various skills. Plant a garden, cut the grass, decorate, shop, or visit friends. Form different types of relationships with your neighbors. Become BFFs, enemies, or start a legendary romance. Live the life that you've always dreamed of.

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Publisher: EA Playfish
Playerbase: High
Graphics: High Quality
Type: Social Game
EXP Rate: High
PvP: N/A
Platform: Facebook

Pros: +Great graphics. +Gameplay similar to other Sims versions. +Plenty of quests. +Farming option. +Crafting feature. +Skills. +Easy to use live build mode. +Large selection of shop items. +In-depth social interactions.

Cons: -Only one Sims per account. –Players are not free to roam world. -Character customization could be better. -Spamming of friends necessary in order to progress. –Lacks job feature.

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Overview

The Sims Social Overview

The Sims Social is social life simulation MMO that brings an immensely popular PC game series to Facebook. Players control their own avatar living life as simple or extravagant as they wish. Similar to other titles like YoVille and CityVille users create their own world. Expand your home by adding additional rooms or decorating with elaborate items. Start a small garden. Grow vegetables or tend to your yard by pulling up weeds and mowing the lawn. Visit neighbors to become friends or enemies. Dance, chat, relax, cook, fight, flirt, and joke around together. Begin a romantic relationship. The possibilities are endless in this social browser enabled version of The Sims. Select a character's appearance, personality, traits, and upgrade a variety of skills that will unlock more advanced interactions.

Personality – Socialite, Rocker, Romantic, Introvert, Tycoon, Geek, Athlete, Creative, and Villain

Traits – Great Kisser, Insane, Ninja, Ogre, Slob, Steel Bladder, Neat, Super Mechanic, and Night Owl

Skills – Art, Music, Writing, and Cooking

The Sims Social Screenshots

The Sims Social Featured Video

Coming Soon…

Full Review

The Sims Social Review

By Ange Perdu

The Sims Social is a 3D life simulation game on Facebook where players can create and control their own personalized Sim character. Much like the previous versions for PC and mobile users interact with other Sims in numerous ways. Forge a long-lasting friendship or become an arch nemesis to fellow neighbors. Increase home value through remodeling. Add extra rooms, buy state-of-the-art appliances, and decorate implementing the latest trends. Landscape the backyard by cutting the grass and removing unnecessary debris. Plant flowers or grow a vegetable garden. Learn new skills like cooking or how to play a musical instrument. Visit friends' homes to socialize or wreak havoc. Hang out and watch TV, party together, or play a nasty prank. Casually date or find your true love in this scaled down adaptation of The Sims.

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Entering the World of Sims, the Gameplay

Each player only receives one avatar to customize and control. The Sims Social gameplay is very similar to its predecessors but relies more heavily on social interactions and neighbor participation. Icons at the bottom of the screen monitors the avatar's core needs such as socializing, fun, hunger, hygiene, bladder, and sleep. Performing certain actions like taking a shower, cooking dinner in the microwave, or playing a game on the computer will automatically increase the stats of the corresponding necessity. Players earn XP and occasionally currency in the form of Simoleons for completing different tasks. There are also random quests. These missions vary from flattering a friend to daydreaming on three different chairs. Collect color essences from certain household appliances from neighbors to unlock your inner artist. Some quests require players to buy a specific item and then interact with it several times. Almost all the objects in the game can be used by Sims or manipulated in some form or manner. Combined with the vivid graphics it's quite impressive.

Instead of a job option players have to earn most of their income by completing daily tasks and upgrading skills. Items like the guitar, easel, old fashioned PC, and microwave when clicked on prompts a menu of available skills to be mastered. Click to practice guitar scales or the Flamenco Technique. Write blog posts from your computer or prepare fish sticks in the kitchen to sell. The skills are somewhat generic but necessary for players to progress in the game. As talents are upgraded new items that produce higher amounts of cash are unlocked. Characters can practice and master multiple skills. Another feature and method to earn money which is rarely seen in Sims titles is gardening. Each user has four small plots in their yard to plant crops ranging from strawberries to pumpkins. Much like FarmVille crops can take anywhere from five minutes to two days to harvest. Completing simple tasks like gardening or tackling quests earn XP and Simoleons.

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Expanding Homes & Relationships

Neighbors are mandatory for a Sims overall well-being and the expansion of their home. Similar to CityVille players have to rely on the generosity of their friends in order to progress at a decent pace. Visiting and forging relationships are essential. When players neglect their characters social needs they become depressed crying uncontrollably. Many quests involve stopping by neighbors' abodes to perform a particular action. Chat, flirt, insult, shoot the breeze, talk about weather, ask about day, discuss work, find common interest, and dance together. Enemies can play devilish pranks on each other like putting a spider on their rival's toilet or rearranging their personal belongings. All neighbors start off as strangers and become acquaintances upon the first visit. An unusual feature in The Sims Social is the relationship status permission procedure. Since every Sim in the game is a Facebook friend a notice is sent when another user wishes to start a romance. Players can approve or refuse any union. The fact that notifications are received mean players potentially face rejection in their virtual affairs which can make dating as brutal as it is in the real world. Help is also required to add an additional room or expand property size. To build a room several friends must visit and assist in the process. Cool furniture occasionally needs assembling by pals as well. Players are constantly sending assistance requests for building, assembling designer furniture, or accumulating specific items. The excessiveness can be annoying at times but necessary to gain the items.

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All About the Simoleons

The shop features a large selection of furnishings, appliances, electronics, and décor to decorate a player's home. Most of the items cost Simoleons which can be earned throughout the game. Purchase cordless phones to get the 411 immediately. Buy fans, clocks, coffee makers, music systems, designer counters, floor mirrors, dressers, storage boxes, comfy sofas, chairs, bookshelves, couches, paintings, wall hangings, lamps, desks, 32 inch LCD TVs, keyboards, and even a coffin style bed. Build an extravagant kitchen with a state-of-the-art G King Counter or Llamark Cook-Rite Stove. Located in the shop area is an icon which activates an easy to use live build mode. During this mode a grid appears around the house allowing players to place additional rooms, doors, tiles, wallpaper, or windows by dragging and dropping into the desired space. There are not a lot of different themes to choose from in this department. Many of the colors are pretty basic. Add shag carpet or various styles of patterned tiles. Energy can also be purchased for SimCash in the shop.

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Final Verdict: Good

The Sims Social is a good life simulation MMO. It's exactly what you'd expect from a Sims game. From the gibberish banter between characters to forming complicated relationships the path your avatar takes is completely up to you. Tackle numerous quests. Practice a new skill like playing an instrument or explore gardening. Comparable to YoVille in terms of its gameplay and customization options users can interact with their neighbors in multiple ways. Despite the fact that the ability to roam freely around town is prohibited any fans of the original series or avid Facebook gamers will still thoroughly enjoy this game.

Screenshots

The Sims Social Screenshots

Links

The Sims Social Links

Official Site

Uncharted Waters update brings new treasures

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:27 PM PDT

A new Uncharted Waters Online update has gone live today, adding both new content as well as two special events for Halloween.

Players can now access the Catacomb Dungeon, the first dungeon of Uncharted Waters, to enter with a fleet and earn special items as well as a rewarding quest. The update also adds a new treasure system called Treasure Box.

From October 26 until November 2, players can attempt to destroy “The Phantom of the Mary Celeste,” a special ghost ship appearing only during this Halloween event. The event will also grant double experience, so make sure to get sailing!

Uncharted Waters Online is published by NetMarble.

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Uncharted Waters Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Uncharted Waters OnlineTM Launches a New Feature, Treasure Box

Nautical MMORPG introduces a new fun way to obtain most exclusive ships and items!

Seoul, South Korea – Oct 26th, 2011 – Today Netmarble announced the launch of Treasure Box, an exciting drawing system of most advanced ships and other useful items that players cannot obtain easily. Also, different from previous items, Treasure Box can be accessed in separate pop-up page. It can be activated even while players are sailing. Another strong feature of Treasure Box is that players do not need to worry about inventory overload. Obtained items of Treasure Box will be stored in 'Bank' for one (1) full year, and players can selectively pick-up their wanted items at anytime.

Along with the Treasure Box, special feature and events are also offered to Uncharted Waters Online sailors;

l  Catacomb Dungeon: Very first dungeon system of Uncharted Waters Online. Recruit fleet members and fight against to achieve special quest and items. See Detail
l  2X EXP Event (Oct 26th~Nov 2nd): Play and receive double EXP Points during the event period
l  Halloween Event (Oct 26th~Nov 2nd): Exciting in-game event to celebrate Halloween Day. Destroy the ghost ship named 'The Phantom of the Mary Celeste.' See Detail

With this new features and update of Uncharted Waters Online will enhance your gameplay and amuse your long, ordinary sailing. Join now and discover treasure, friendship and seafaring excitement.

Special Halloween events arrive in M.A.T.

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 03:52 PM PDT

Mission Against Terror (M.A.T.) will begin its own Halloween festivities tomorrow, October 27, with a new update.

Schoolboy, schoolgirl, vampire, bunny, and bandit costumes will arrive, along with the special Pumpkin Hat, for players to dress up for the occasion. In battle, players obtain the new Deadwood Camo TAR-21, Type 81, and AKS-74U, as well as the M134 Hellfire Grimm minigun, Pumpkin Smoke Grenade, and Mummy Talons.

AI Mode will gain Stage 4, where players  must battle off hundreds of melee bandits, and two new maps, “Chessboard Resort” and “Old Town,” will make their debut.

Mission Against Terror is published by Wicked Interactive (Suba Games), which also publishes Bounty Hounds Online and Ace Online.

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Mission Against Terror Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Mission Against Terror Throws Halloween Bash

Limited-Time Costumes, Weapons, Maps and Game Modes Spice Up the Celebration

TORONTO, ON October 25, 2011—Mission Against Terror (http://mat.subagames.com), everyone’s favorite free-to-play MMORPG shooter, gears up for Halloween in a big way. Beginning Thursday, Oct. 27, there will be special, limited-time costumes, weapons, even maps and a brand-new stage of AI Mode. As for candy, that’s what you’ll get when you put all this fun stuff together.

“Halloween is the holiday of the year for us,” said Sam Ho, Director, Wicked Interactive. “More than any other day, it captures the excitement and the thrills that we bring to every game. It’s also the most popular day for the M.A.T. community, which is why we are pulling out all the stops.”

Costumes:

Mission Against Terror's Halloween patches will include a schoolboy and schoolgirl uniform, a classical and spooky set of vampire clothes for males and females, our popular black and scarlet bunny suits, and the ever-popular bandit costume for those who like breaking the law.

Whatever players choose to wear, they can once again mix and match with the iconic Pumpkin Hat. Or if you prefer to keep it simple, the masquerade masks allow you to keep it on the sneak-tip.

Weapons:

Other than new clothing options, the Deadwood Camo edition TAR-21, the Type 81, and the AKS-74U will be debuting as non-Halloween weapons.  For a spooky touch of Halloween in your weaponry, the M134 Hellfire Grimm minigun returns this year along with the Pumpkin Smoke Grenade (complete with orange smoke!) and the Mummy Talons.

Maps & Modes:

Coupled with all of this is a new stage of AI Mode and new maps. In Stage 4 of AI Mode, players band together to slay bandits wielding melee weapons by the hundreds.  Two new regular maps will also be introduced:

1) “Chessboard Resort” takes place in a secluded resort in the far east up on forested mountains and away from civilization, said to be a tourist hotbed that attracts Yoga practitioners around the world as it is considered to be a powerful place of zen.

2) “Old Town” takes place in France in a Renaissance-period town preserved for centuries because of its architecture and history that is now a primary target for terrorists and their C4 bombs.

Raves for M.A.T.:

“M.A.T. is a solid online multiplayer shooter game with a splash of Asian stylings.”
- FPSGuru

Set in a near-future not so different from our own time, M.A.T. pits teams against one another in a bitter battle for the survival of the human race. Unanimously hailed for its solid gameplay and wide variety of game modes, M.A.T. has taken North America by storm, after becoming quite popular in Asia and other parts of the world.

First looks at the M.A.T. Halloween update:

http://dl2.subagames.com/gmimages/Halloween/Bunny%20Suits.jpg

http://dl2.subagames.com/gmimages/Halloween/Pumpkin%20Hat.jpg

To join in the big M.A.T. Halloween Bash, visit the M.A.T. site: http://mat.subagames.com.

New Lime Odyssey environmental screenshots

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 03:11 PM PDT

Aeria Games has released a new batch of screenshots highlighting some of Lime Odyssey’s areas in the world of Orta.

The regions (shown below) include the dense Blue Coral Forest (home of the humans), the desert of West Tumbara (home of the Turga), the colorful area of Haze Island (home of the Muris), and other areas including Loran Desert and Duval Highlands.

Aeria Games also publishes Eden Eternal and Golden Age.

Lime Odyssey Environmental Screenshots:

Source:

Aeria Games Releases New Lime Odyssey Screenshots

New Images from Upcoming 3D Fantasy MMORPG Reveal Stunning Landscapes

SANTA CLARA, Calif.  – Oct. 26, 2011 – Aeria Games, a leading global publisher of free-to-play online games, today released new screenshots for Lime Odyssey: The Chronicles of Orta, its highly-anticipated 3D massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). Lime Odyssey is developed by Sirius Entertainment Co., Ltd and will be published in North America by Aeria Games.

The new screenshots showcase a visually stunning panorama of the continent Orta, allowing players an early glimpse of details from the lush greenery within the Blue Coral Forest to the towering saguaro cacti dotting the arid landscape of West Tumbara. Each of the three playable races inhabits a unique home region, which also serves as their starting location.

Regions in Lime Odyssey: The Chronicles of Orta:

  • Blue Coral Forest – This dense, diverse region is home to the Humans.
  • West Tumbara – The cat-like Turga race claims the desert plains of West Tumbara.
  • Haze Island – A colorful explosion of vibrant flora and fauna, Haze Island is the starting region for the diminutive Muris race.
  • Sea, Land & Air – Players wishing to leave the safety and comfort of their starting borders can run, swim or fly to regions such as Loran Desert and Duval Highlands.

Lime Odyssey will be free to download and free to play.  Interested players can learn more and sign up to participate in the upcoming closed beta test at: http://limeodyssey.aeriagames.com.

C21 prepares for new beta phase

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:32 PM PDT

C21, which previously offered a beta back in April, is preparing to launch a new beta phase, complete with a new website.

The game is a third-person shooter that features customizable robots in btoh PvE and PvP scnearios. The game has since been updated to improve moment speed, combat speed, and controls; to add Demon Force Bases that feature deadly bosses and grand rewards; and to improve robot customization and the dynamic battle system.

C21 is published by CyberStep, which also publishes CosmicBreak.

c21_conceptart

C21 Concept Art

Source:

C21 –STEEL BATTLE CHRONICLES– WEBSITE OPEN

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – October 25th, 2011 – Online game developer CyberStep opens the website for its latest Robot MMORPG game, C21 –STEEL BATTLE CHRONICLES– for early beta registration from 3:00 PM, Tuesday, October 25th. The beta testing period will begin from 3:00 PM on Thursday, October 27th.

* C21 –STEEL BATTLE CHRONICLES–　*
Official Website: http://www.c21-online.com/ *

C21 –STEEL BATTLE CHRONICLES– is a unique MMORPG that is played from a 3rd person perspective and uses FPS controls to allow for fast-paced battles that will enable users to excel through their own personal skill, rather than their equipment. Robots can be equipped with various weapons or unique joint parts to hunt down ferocious monsters or fight against a powerful invading army known as the "Demon Force" across the planets within the Cosmic Renaissance. Your adventures take place in a galaxy known as the Cosmic Renaissance. It is home to many sentient robots that have evolved into their current forms in much the same way as other organic life. They soar through the sky, traverse vast battlefields, and brandish advanced weaponry.

1.  MORE EXCITEMENT, MORE ACTION

In order to better serve players around the world, CyberStep has modified and polished the original title C21 in order to appeal more to users outside of Japan. An example of the changes implemented was a considerable increase in movement and combat speed. The controls have also been modified for ease of use, allowing users greater mobility during hectic combat situations.
In addition to the enhanced game mechanics, the game content itself has also seen some changes. One change of note would be the addition of Demon Force Bases that will now appear on each planet. Players can choose to assault these bases in order in the name of grand ideals such as securing a brighter future for the Neo Angel Force or perhaps for more personal reasons, such as hunting for new equipment. Keep in mind, however, that these bases are enemy strongholds and will be populated with all manner of deadly enemies. In the deepest levels of these fortresses, players may encounter extremely powerful boss robots that will require trustworthy allies and teamwork in order to beat.

The changes made to the original C21 coupled with its new elements will ensure that players of all types will be able to enjoy the game. As such, the game has received a new title, C21 –STEEL BATTLE CHRONICLES–.

2.  BUILD A UNIQUE ROBOT!

There are more than 100 different robots in C21 –STEEL BATTLE CHRONICLES–, each of them consisting of at least 5 types of parts; Head Parts, Body Parts, Arm Parts, Leg Parts and Boosters. These parts can be freely added or removed to any standard robot. Players can utilize the powerful robot assembly system to build a robot that best suits their play style or customize it for certain combat roles. Combining that with the robot painting feature, players can create robots that are uniquely their own.

3.  DYNAMIC BATTLE SYSTEM

One aspect that sets C21 –STEEL BATTLE CHRONICLES– apart from other MMORPG's is its use of a TPS battle system. Players can move freely about the battlefield without being forced to stand still and trade blows or count skill timers. The game seamlessly combines elements from both MMORPG and TPS Action Games, ensuring that many players will be able to enjoy their time in-game.

About CyberStep:

CyberStep, Inc. has been creating and managing original online games since 2000. CyberStep’s titles are played worldwide in over 10 different countries, and include games such as SplashFighters, C21, GetAmped2, CosmicBreak, and HolyBeast. CyberStep is always expanding, and aims to connect different cultures around the world through the mediums of high quality entertainment and technology.

Star Supremacy hosts twisted Trick or Treat

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 01:59 PM PDT

Players of Star Supremacy will be able to go through a special trick or treat event, starting on October 28 and running through November 3.

During the event, GMs will hide on a planet (changing every 48 hours), with treats to hand out to players who find them. However, several obstacles will be on the path to finding a GM, including fake GMs. Players who succeed in finding, and making it, to the right GM will earn rewards including pumpkin helmets, Halloween candy, and longevity tokens.

star_supremacy_shipbuilding

Star Supremacy Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

This Halloween, players will be treated to a special event in Star Supremacy.  Starting tomorrow, one of our GMs will be hiding on one of several planets in the game.  The GM will have a limited amount of Halloween treats for the players and it won’t be easy getting those treats.  Players who overcome the obstacles and are able to find the GM while the treats are still available will be rewarded.  Players should be warned that the GM will be changing locations every 48 hours from one planet to the other.  So incase word gets out of a GM’s location, players will have to rush to the location before it changes.  There will also be fake GMs so players will have to make sure they find the right GM and then send a Private Message to that GM in the form of “Trick or Treat” in order to get their Halloween treat.

Event Details:Valid time:  28th Oct—3rd Nov

Rewards: Top 1-5: pink pumpkin helmet*1, big Halloween candy*10, longevity token*2

Top6-10: purple pumpkin helmet*1, big Halloween candy*5, longevity token*1

Others: small candy*5, space treasure*1

Notes: rewards will be sent through in game mail in open beta and make sure to login your current account to get rewards in open beta.
Please check out the official website for more information, announcements, and events as Star Supremacy launches or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/Star_Supremacy and Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Star-Supremacy/167124213363092?sk=wall.  You can also follow us on Raptr at http://raptr.com/game/Star-Supremacy.

Star Supremacy is currently hosting a facebook event.  3 random players will be selected to win a gaming headset once the facebook page reaches 30,000 likes.
Posted by Shri Krishna
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