General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Leaked Lenovo Roadmap Reveals Upcoming Ultrabook Plans For 2012

Posted: 13 Nov 2011 05:32 PM PST

Thinkpad X1Ultrabook's announcements have been have been fast and furious going into the holiday season, but Lenovo fans who may have balked at the X1's inferior battery life might have something worth waiting for. According to a leaked company roadmap supplied to channel partners, Lenovo plans to offer an Ivy Bridge Thinkpad in either May or June of next year, and these puppies will be aimed directly at high end business users, as opposed to the IdeaPad's which are targeted at consumers.

The roadmap doesn't give us much in terms of concrete specs, but it does claim they will offer a $1,300 13-inch model to replace the X1, along with a mainstream laptop priced closer to $800. They also mention that non Ultrabook ThinkPads will be upgraded to Chief River in March or April of next year, suggesting Ivy Bridge is just around the corner.

As a side note the presentation also references Windows 8, which they claim is expected to be ready by the fall of 2012. 

Nintendo 3DS On-Track to Beat DS First-Year Sales

Posted: 13 Nov 2011 01:24 PM PST

3DSWhen the Nintendo announced that 3DS sales weren't living up to expectations, 3D skeptics were quick pile on. The company responded by sharply cutting the price, and while I have to admit even we were skeptical, it seems to be exactly what they needed to change their fortunes. According to the NPD group, the system has sold an impressive 1.65 million units in the USA year to date, putting the handheld on track to outsell its predecessor the Nintendo DS during the same period. 

With Nintendo on shaky financial footing, this holiday season could be make or break for the gaming giant's hardware endeavors. In its first year on the market the DS sold over 2.37 million units, but over half of these were during the holiday season. If the trend continues, the 3DS could sell upwards of 2.8 million, which is a pretty healthy installed base to bring 3rd party developers back on board. 

First party titles will no doubt give the system a boost, but we have to wonder if kids are really looking for a 3DS under the tree this year. Parents looking to load up a gaming device with shovel ware have no doubt taken a liking to Apple's $0.99 pricing structure, and the original DS never had to compete with the iPod Touch.

Logitech Loses $100 Million on Google TV

Posted: 13 Nov 2011 12:40 PM PST

Burning MoneyA few days ago we reported that Logitech was suffering from a bit of early adopter's remorse with regards to its hard six bet on Google TV, and now we know why. According to an interview conducted with Logitech's new CEO Guerrino De Luca, Logitech lost somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million trying to peddle the Revue. "To make the long story short, we thought we had invented sliced bread, and we just made them," De Luca told analysts. "We just built a lot because we expected everybody to line up for Christmas and buy these boxes for $300, and that was a big mistake."  

De Luca left the door open a crack for possible future partnerships with Google, but will likely proceed with caution considering that he was put in charge to replace ex-CEO Gerald Quindlen who took the fall for such a huge write down. 

All this talk about Logitech and Google TV makes us wonder how D-Link has been making out with the Boxee Box. We haven't heard a peep out of either party since the hardware came out more than a year ago, but I suppose only time will tell. 

Apple Offering Up Free Replacements for all First Generation iPod Nano Owners

Posted: 13 Nov 2011 11:40 AM PST

iPod NanoIf you picked up a first generation iPod Nano back before it went mainstream, it's time to turn your drawers upside down and find yourself a shipping box before it explodes. Almost 6 years after it was introduced, Apple is finally expanding its battery recall program beyond Korea, and is offering everyone a free trade up to the new design. Why wait so long you ask? According to an Apple spokesperson, the likelihood of a problem increases as the battery ages.  

The issue which was first discovered back in 2009 has to do with overheating battery packs, and in some rare cases, can even lead to a fire. The first generation Nano's were sold between September 2005 and December 2006, and as long as your player is still in one piece, is eligible for a replacement. Owners should head on over to Apple's replacement page to get the process started, but be warned if this is still your primary music player. We are told the replacement can take up to 6 weeks to process, so hopefully you've got something else to fall back on. 

MMO News

MMO News


MMOHut Weekly Recap #60 Nov 13 – Star Trek Online, DCUO, Dragon Saga, & More

Posted: 13 Nov 2011 01:45 PM PST

MMO Weekly News #60 – Star Trek Online, DCUO, & More

Weekly MMO News summary for the week ended November 13 (Nov 7 – Nov 13). A quick look and discussion for every major announcement and update during the week! This week we discussed updates from the following games: Star Trek Online, DC Universe Online, Repulse, Aika, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Microvolts, Rusty Hearts, War of the Immortals, Elsword, Dragon Saga, Fly For Fun, Last Chaos, CrimeCraft, and WindSlayer 2.. I’m excited about Star Trek Online going free to play next month!. You can view all the individual news articles mention over at the MMOHut.com News section.

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Anvil of Crom: Celebrating the selfless gamer

Posted: 13 Nov 2011 09:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - angry man header
Oh sh... it's time for another installment of Massively's Anvil of Crom! If I sound a bit harried, it's because there's simply not enough time in the day for all the gaming goodness going on lately. Whether we're talking about the MMO space where I'm currently dabbling in AoC, DC Universe Online, EverQuest II, and Global Agenda, or the single-player smorgasbords of Arkham City, Uncharted 3, and Skyrim, sometimes it sucks to be an adult with responsibilities!

Those "sometimes" are usually during the pre-Christmas release window when game publishers all get together and decide to make our entertainment lives miserable by releasing 35 badass titles at once. Hello geniuses, how's about we stagger the badassery throughout the year; you'll still be rolling in money and your customers won't be rushing through one title to get to the next.

Anyway, I'm continually on the lookout for interesting tidbits from Funcom's Hyboria, and over the past couple of weeks I've been struck by a noticeable uptick in what I'm going to call the quality community. Since AoC's 2008 launch, the game's community has been alternately awful and tolerable, and whether that's because of the game's mature rating (and the immature people it attracts) or some other factor, it's been a rare occasion when I've had cause to highlight the nice folk.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Celebrating the selfless gamer

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Celebrating the selfless gamer originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Global Chat: November 6-12, 2011

    Posted: 13 Nov 2011 07:00 AM PST

    Filed under: , ,

    Global Chat
    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's Global Chat is all about choices -- be they social or in our gameplay, we like to have as many as we can. Follow along after the break to see what some of our readers had to say about choice in MMOs last week!

    Continue reading Global Chat: November 6-12, 2011

    MassivelyGlobal Chat: November 6-12, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

      The Daily Grind: Are beta weekends a good timeframe for testing?

      Posted: 13 Nov 2011 05:00 AM PST

      Filed under: , , ,

      Every endgame event is Schroedinger's Raid during test weekends.
      The big problem of betas, of course, is that they aren't launched games. That means that every quest you complete, every enemy you kill, and every level you gain is just going to have to be re-done at launch. For some people, however, the testing environment before launch is something they want to take part in, even knowing that they won't be able to take it with them once the game goes live.

      Prior to launch, RIFT used a series of beta weekends to give players a chance to test, and Star Wars: The Old Republic has been following the same footsteps. On the one hand, this is enough time to get a feel for the game and test it out without letting you get too invested in your accomplishments. On the other hand, it also means that it's hard for players to really level past a certain point, thus leaving the higher levels more difficult to test -- if not impossible. So what do you think? Are beta weekends a good trend, or is it too little time?

      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: Are beta weekends a good timeframe for testing? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

      Permalink | Email this | Comments

        SWTOR pits the Trooper against the Inquisitor

        Posted: 12 Nov 2011 07:30 PM PST

        Filed under: , , , ,

        SWTOR
        The second of the four-part Choose Your Side video series has been released over at Star Wars: The Old Republic, and this time it creates a hypothetical showdown between the Republic's Trooper and the Empire's Inquisitor. In it, four BioWare devs jaw about who would win in a fight and what each of these classes has going for it. These videos are proving to be a great way to get a better feel for classes' strengths and weaknesses, particularly in a PvP setting.

        On one hand, the Trooper is said to have an advantage in terms of health, armor and range, with plenty of tricks to keep the Inquisitor at bay and, er, dead. On the other hand, the Inquisitor's Force powers and double-bladed lightsaber may make for a completely unfair fight against the Force-less Trooper.

        The devs reveal a few tidbits about the two classes' philosophy while they're calmly laying out the smack talk. The Trooper comes off as a "shoot first and ask questions later" type of character, while the Inquisitor is portrayed as a mastermind pulling the strings from behind the stage.

        You can watch the full video after the jump!

        Continue reading SWTOR pits the Trooper against the Inquisitor

        MassivelySWTOR pits the Trooper against the Inquisitor originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

        League of Legends prepares for Fizz patch

        Posted: 12 Nov 2011 05:00 PM PST

        Filed under: , , , , ,

        Fizz league of legends image
        All this week, Riot Games has been releasing snippets of information on upcoming League of Legends champion Fizz, the Tidal Trickster. Fizz's mechanics preview gave a first glimpse into the sea monster's skills, including his ability to dodge attacks with his trident and to call a shark to eat the target enemy. A new art spotlight video gave us our first look at the champion and showed off both his signature trident weapon and one mean-looking shark. Today Riot published a patch preview video for the upcoming Fizz patch, detailing all the other changes coming with the update.

        Ranged carry champions are the focus of rebalancing efforts in the coming patch, with Caitlyn, Kog'maw and Graves being nerfed and Corki, Miss Fortune and Tristana due for buffs. With tournament season approaching, Riot is being careful to make these changes very minor to avoid upsetting current lane balance. Sona's auras are being nerfed a little, which isn't a surprise as Sona's usually the obvious choice for support. The season two summoner spell changes we discussed earlier in the week will also be going live with this patch, along with revamped mastery trees. Skip past the cut to watch the full video in HD.

        Continue reading League of Legends prepares for Fizz patch

        MassivelyLeague of Legends prepares for Fizz patch originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

        This Week in MMO: Really? Bigpoint? Edition

        Posted: 12 Nov 2011 03:00 PM PST

        Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

        TWIMMO
        Welcome to another super-exciting edition of This Week in MMO. On this episode, host Gary Gannon and a pair of Mikes have a bit of fun with the announcement that Bigpoint will be taking the helm of an MMO based on the super-trendy A Game of Thrones. Meanwhile, is WildStar a theme-park or a sandbox? Well, we don't know, but the TWIMMO guys have a bit to say on the matter. DC Universe Online gets a wild playerbase boost after its transition to free-to-play, and speculation abounds as to whether the upcoming Warhammer 40: Dark Millenium Online MMO could be free to play.

        For the full show, just jump on past the cut.

        Continue reading This Week in MMO: Really? Bigpoint? Edition

        MassivelyThis Week in MMO: Really? Bigpoint? Edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

        The Mog Log: Class philosophy

        Posted: 12 Nov 2011 01:00 PM PST

        Filed under: , , , , , , ,

        The Mog Log header image by A. Fienemann
        I'm willing to bet that there are MMOs out there with more classes than the online Final Fantasy installment, but there aren't any that spring to mind with such a wide array of classes and such a schizophrenic outlook on how they work. In both Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV you can switch between classes freely, each class with its own emphasis... and yet you can also port abilities from one class to another in some fashion, thereby blurring the distinction of each individual class compared to its peers.

        If it isn't obvious, I've been thinking a lot about classes, how they work in the games, and where the two different implementations succeed or fail. So I'm going to start off by taking a look at classes as an overarching construct, what they should be providing for both games, and what the developers seem to want from the classes in a game-wide sense. If this sounds about as interesting as watching paint dry, next week we'll be taking a break to talk about moogles. For now, though, let's talk about what a class should have.

        Continue reading The Mog Log: Class philosophy

        MassivelyThe Mog Log: Class philosophy originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

          The Tattered Notebook: What free-to-play means for EverQuest II

          Posted: 12 Nov 2011 11:00 AM PST

          Filed under: , , , ,

          EverQuest II
          Thursday was quite the news day for EverQuest II. Normally, the announcement of pre-order specifics and details on the new expansion would be pretty big news by itself, but it was completely upstaged by the announcement that all EQII servers will be free-to-play.

          As expected, there are lots of mixed emotions from the players regarding this new transition. Here at Massively, readers generally welcomed the move with open arms, but on the official forums and on the fansite EQ2Flames, there was a lot more trepidation. That's understandable because this move could change quite a lot going down the road. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll look at what the free-to-play transition means for the future of EQII.

          Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: What free-to-play means for EverQuest II

          MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: What free-to-play means for EverQuest II originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

            General gaming

            General gaming


            Delve Into Skyrim with Our Rebooted Friday Podcast

            Posted: 12 Nov 2011 09:40 AM PST

            Skyrim! In the past week, we've reviewed it. We've live streamed it. I've posted vacation photos of it. And it seems like just about everyone in the 1UP/IGN offices has been playing it. So, to cap it off, I spent an hour in the podcast studio with Thierry Nguyen and Ryan Winterhalter to discuss it in the latest episode of our weekly podcast, Games, Dammit!

            Join 1UP and IGN for Our Assassin's Creed: Revelations Live Stream

            Posted: 12 Nov 2011 08:33 AM PST

            What: 1UP and IGN's Assassin's Creed: Revelations Live Stream
            When: Monday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PDT
            Where: Here and on IGN
            Why: To show off the game and give you fabulous prizes
            How (do you win): Ask us questions via Twitter! Tweet to @1up with the hashtag #acr

            To kick off this week's final flurry of high-profile game releases for 2011, 1UP and IGN will be teaming up to live stream one of the most anticipated titles of the year on Monday morning. Come read our review of Assassin's Creed: Revelations, then watch us show off the game.

            MMOGaming News

            MMOGaming News


            Study: F2P MMOs Become Massively Popular

            Posted:

            Study: F2P MMOs Become Massively Popular


            There are many P2P MMOs out there are going to F2P nowadays. And many of them get enormous success after transformed to F2P.

            Dota 2 Tournament - Monkey vs EZ Strategy Comments

            Posted:

            Dota 2 Tournament - Monkey vs EZ Strategy Comments


            BenQ's tournament is fairly small and only of 8 teams. The teams play in Captain mode where each team has a certain amount of time to pick and ban heroes. The Tournament also includes 3 heroes that were excluded in the ESWC. Broodmother, Skeleton King, and Queen of Pain has been added to the roster of heroes.

            MMORPG Videos

            MMORPG Videos


            Star Wars: The Old Republic: Choose Your Side - Inquisitor or Trooper?

            Posted: 12 Nov 2011 05:13 AM PST

            Bioware has released a new "Choose Your Side" video. This time, the Inquisitor and the Trooper face off against one another. Check out the firepower both bring into the game and then choose -your- side!

            Cultures Online: Brawl for the Americas

            Posted: 12 Nov 2011 05:47 AM PST

            Cultures Online is setting sail for the Americas. Asians and Vikings will be hitting the shores of the Americas and battling for control of various strategic locals. To showcase the battle royale, the Cultures Online team has released a new trailer. Check it out!

            Continent of the Ninth: C9 - Continent of the Ninth - Game Play

            Posted: 12 Nov 2011 03:59 PM PST

            Webzen has released a game play trailer for its upcoming free to play MMORPG, Continent of the Ninth, or C9.

            Total Pageviews

            statcounter

            View My Stats