General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


AMD Releases CAP3 Profiles for Catalyst 11.11

Posted: 11 Dec 2011 04:16 PM PST

Serious SamAMD and Nvidia driver teams have been putting in some pretty serious overtime trying to keep up with the flood of new titles hitting the market just before the holidays, and a third profile update just went live for AMD's less than one month old Catalyst 11.11. Just in-case you'd lost count, in addition to the three profile updates, AMD has also released three separate beta drivers to fix various other issues with specific titles. If you like to be on the bleeding edge, make sure you have Catalyst 11.11C, along with the just released CAP3.

CAP3 includes the following improvements:

 

- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Improves CrossFire performance

- Saints Row 3 (DirectX 9 version): Improves CrossFire performance

- Serious Sam 3: Improves CrossFire performance

- Java Control Panel: Fixes black screen corruption seen on single and multi GPU configurations when Anti-Aliasing is forced on through the Catalyst Control Center   

Intel Drops 19 Desktop CPUs from Clarkdale, Lynnfield, and Sandy Bridge

Posted: 11 Dec 2011 03:26 PM PST

CPUIntel is shaking up its CPU lineup a bit, and while some of the older parts on the chopping block make sense, even some newer Sandy Bridge chips are getting the axe. A total of 19 CPU's from Clarkdale, Lynnfield, and Sandy Bridge are being phased out effective immediately, and any new orders from OEM's will only be filled while supply lasts. 

The List includes the Pentium G6950, G6960, G620, G620T, and G840; the Core i3 540 and 2100T; the Core i5 650, 660, 670, 680, and 2300; and the Core i7 860, 870, 930, 950, 960, 980, and 990X. Some of the parts on this list are over two years old now, however the Sandy Bridge Pentium G630, G630T, and G860 are less than 4 months old.

With Ivy Bridge just around the corner the cuts weren't completely unexpected, especially with Sandy Bridge E now in the mix.  

Google-Funded Study Awards Security Crown to Chrome; Firefox Comes in Last

Posted: 11 Dec 2011 05:48 AM PST

Browser vendors are constantly on the lookout for things to brag about. While just about any type of bragging rights are welcome, vendors are mostly found crowing about either speed, security or HTML5 compliance. This time it's Google's turn to break into a victory lap, for Chrome has just been crowned the most secure browser in a study conducted by Accuvant Labs (PDF).

Not that it's going to affect Google's celebrations, we'd like to point out that the study in question was commissioned by the web giant itself. Now that we have made the take-this-with-a-grain-of-salt appeal necessary with a study that ends up portraying the party that funded it in the most positive light, it's time to proceed to the details.

Accuvant Labs only considered Internet Explorer (version 9), Chrome (versions 12 and 13) and Firefox (version 5.0.1) for its research. In its 102-page report, the firm concluded that Chrome is the most secure browser of the three, with Internet Explorer and Firefox coming in second and last, respectively.

According to Accuvant, it  adopted a different approach from other similar attempts that mostly "rely on statistical analysis of vulnerability data", opting instead for a thorough analysis of anti-exploitation mechanisms baked into the concerned browsers.

"The URL blacklisting services offered by all three browsers will stop fewer attacks than will go undetected," said Accuvant in its report. "Both Google Chrome and Microsoft Internet Explorer implement state-of-the-art anti-exploitation technologies, but Mozilla Firefox lags behind without JIT hardening."

"While both Google Chrome and Microsoft Internet Explorer implement the same set of anti-exploitation technologies, Google Chrome's plug-in security and sandboxing architectures are implemented in a more thorough and comprehensive manner. Therefore, we believe Google Chrome is the browser that is most secured against attack."

Regarding the question of conflict of interest, Accuvant said, "[W]hile Google funded the research for this paper, Accuvant Labs was given a clear directive to provide readers with an objective understanding of relative browser security."

Mozilla, though, does not agree with Accuvant's findings and sees no reason to be alarmed. "Firefox includes a broad array of technologies to eliminate or reduce security threats, from platform level features like address space randomization to internal systems like our layout frame poisoning system," said , Johnathan Nightingale, director of Firefox engineering at Mozilla.

"Sandboxing is a useful addition to that toolbox that we are investigating, but no technology is a silver bullet. We invest in security throughout the development process with internal and external code reviews, constant testing and analysis of running code, and rapid response to security issues when they emerge. We're proud of our reputation on security, and it remains a central priority for Firefox."

Google Turns Chrome into Gaming Platform with NaCl

Posted: 11 Dec 2011 05:25 AM PST

Its many detractors think it is regressive, but Google is pretty sure of Native Client (NaCl), a technology that allows Chrome to run native compiled code across different OSes, being "the ideal way of putting rich content and game engines in the browser." To prove its point, Google hosted a special event at its Mountain View headquarters on December 8.

Google used the event to showcase Native Client's gaming prowess by showing off NaCl-based versions of games like the critically acclaimed Xbox 360 and PC game Bastion and Square Enix's multi-platform title Mini Ninjas. The former is already available from the Chrome Web Store, with Mini Ninjas set to enter "an open beta in December without download."

"In September, we started supporting a set of core Pepper interfaces, suited for 2D graphics, audio, and compute-intensive applications," wrote Christian Stefansen, Native Client product manager, in a blog post  Friday. "Since that release, we've shipped additional APIs and capabilities, providing native code with more of the capabilities available from JavaScript. These include hardware-accelerated 3D graphics via OpenGL ES 2.0, a mouse lock API, a full-screen API, and much more."

"The community is actively involved in Native Client, porting some of the most popular application middleware. Ports include Unity and Moai game engines, programming language environments Mono and Lua, audio middleware such as fmod and Wwise, as well as the Bullet physics engine. These Native Client ports make the web more accessible to hundreds of thousands of application developers."

However, Google seems to be going against the grain with NaCl as many people within the browser industry, including Mozilla's director of web platforms Chris Blizzard, aren't convinced. Blizzard  told PCMag.com. "Google's Native Client approach is another way of running compiled, platform-specific binary code in a Web browser. It's not part of the standards-based Web as it's locked to specific combinations of hardware and operating systems. It's Mozilla's mission to ensure that the open technologies of the Web offer all that's needed to make Web applications powerful and interesting, and to see the need for native code use to diminish over time."

MMO News

MMO News


MMOHut Weekly Recap #64 Dec 11 – MapleStory, EverQuest 2, Rosh Online, & More

Posted: 11 Dec 2011 06:05 AM PST

MMO Weekly News #64 – MapleStory, EverQuest 2, Rosh Online, & More

Weekly MMO News summary for the week ended December 11 (Dec 5 – Dec 11). A quick look and discussion for every major announcement and update during the week! This week we discussed updates from the following games: MapleStory, War Inc: Battlezone, Jade Dynasty, Neo Steam, Fiesta Online, Eudemons Online, Wind Slayer 2, Trickster Online, Red Stone, Dungeon Fighter Online, Blackshot, The Legend of Mir 3, EverQuest 2, Rosh Online, and Brawl Busters. Lots of news this week – but the bit about EverQuest 2 going free to play is definitely the most interesting bit. The game went “f2p” a while ago as “EverQuest 2: Extended” earlier, but it’s now even more free to play with less restrictions. You can view all the individual news articles mention over at the MMOHut.com News section.

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Global Chat: December 4-10, 2011

Posted: 11 Dec 2011 07:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , ,

EQII
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!

Our readers have been giving plenty of attention to the impending launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic and the impending shutdown of Star Wars Galaxies, but that doesn't mean they had blinders on. This week's Global Chat features some great insight into other topics from the MMO world, so follow along after the break and let's see what our readers had to say this week.

Continue reading Global Chat: December 4-10, 2011

MassivelyGlobal Chat: December 4-10, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Daily Grind: What game do you think never looks good in screenshots?

    Posted: 11 Dec 2011 05:00 AM PST

    Filed under: , , , ,

    I'm not sure why most EverQuest 2 screenshots feature a monster on one side and an adventurer on the other, but there you go.
    Screenshots might not be the most important part of a game, but they're important before you decide to pop in and play. After all, part of what makes you decide that a game is worth trying out is the fact that it looks cool. Unfortunately, some games just hit us the wrong way. No matter how many different shots you get and how many different angles are tried, every time you see a screenshot of the game, it just looks bad.

    Maybe it's a game you don't like. Maybe it's a game you do like, and you know it looks better in play. Maybe it's a game you've never tried one way or the other just because the look of the game turns you off. You might have no opinion on the game whatsoever -- regular Massively readers probably see several screenshots of games they don't even remember that don't look good to them. What game just seems to look bad in static shots every single 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: What game do you think never looks good in screenshots? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XI classes, round 2

      Posted: 10 Dec 2011 03:00 PM PST

      Filed under: , , , , , ,

      The Mog Log header by A. Fienemann
      It's time for the second batch of Final Fantasy XI classes to be examined under a set of criteria that have absolutely nothing to do with their actual power level. (Those change too often, and frankly I've never been a fan.) The first time around, we took a look at the three physical classes, who generally scored... all right, but not great. Each one had a clear area of expertise and some serious weaknesses in other areas -- which makes sense, being as they're starter classes.

      The casters, on the other hand, are a different story. Sure, Warriors wind up later being an ur-type that gets distilled into several other roles, but most of the casters retain their uniqueness far later in the game. So let's take a look at your other three options when starting a new character in Final Fantasy XI, all of which have the same last name.

      Continue reading The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XI classes, round 2

      MassivelyThe Mog Log: Final Fantasy XI classes, round 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Tattered Notebook: Discovery arrives!

        Posted: 10 Dec 2011 01:00 PM PST

        Filed under: , , , , ,

        EQII Age of Discovery
        The Age of Discovery has arrived, along with the Freeport Reborn game update and the free-to-play transition. On top of that, Frostfell is also upon us, with even more new rewards, tradeskill books, and quests. That's a pretty hefty amount of change to EverQuest II, and it's brought back many former players (as well as new ones).

        In this week's Tattered Notebook, let's take a look at the first week of launch. I rolled up a Beastlord along with the rest of Norrath, so I'd like to give some first impressions on the new class, take a look at the dungeon maker, and share some overall thoughts on the past week.

        Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Discovery arrives!

        MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Discovery arrives! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Road to Mordor: My love-hate relationship with Legendary Items

          Posted: 10 Dec 2011 11:00 AM PST

          Filed under: , , , , ,

          LotRO
          Second to perhaps radiance, Legendary Items have become one of the most controversial, most debated, and most divisive game features in Lord of the Rings Online since their implementation in Mines of Moria. Since their inclusion, players have discussed -- loudly -- how the system could be fixed and improved, and Turbine's made a couple of attempts at refining the feature into something we can all enjoy.

          And yet Legendary Items remain in that category that I like to call "love-hate," where there's almost as much to love about them as there is to loathe. I've waited a long time to write this article because the timing never felt right; either I was too new to the system to speak with any authority on it or changes were "right around the corner" or I was lazy. Take your pick.

          Perhaps talking about this today is beating somewhat of a dead horse in the LotRO community, but I wanted to get my thoughts out why LIs haven't quite gotten to where they need to, how they've failed, where they've succeeded, and why I pray every evening for cosmetic weapons so I can get rid of that ugly glow effect.

          Continue reading The Road to Mordor: My love-hate relationship with Legendary Items

          MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: My love-hate relationship with Legendary Items originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            General gaming

            General gaming


            We Break Down the Biggest VGA Trailers

            Posted: 10 Dec 2011 07:48 PM PST

            Following the biggest trailers revealed at this year's Spike Video Game Awards, Jeremy, Ryan, and Matt sat down to discuss the highlights -- most notably, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us, Platinum Games' Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Epic Games' Fortnite, and Irrational's BioShock Infinite.

            Click the links in the above paragraph to see the trailers themselves, and scroll down to see our reactions.

            Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

            The Last of Us in Development at Naughty Dog

            Posted: 10 Dec 2011 07:19 PM PST

            For a week now Sony has been teasing a new PlayStation 3 exclusive called The Last of Us. It's all been very mysterious and strange, with teaser trailers focused on things like ants. It was unclear what it would be like, but we know have a better idea of what's in store from this new game coming from Uncharted developer Naughty Dog.

            The trailer above aired during tonight's Spike TV VGAs and was reminiscent of the Dead Island trailer that made a splash earlier this year. It showed an older man (accompanied by a young girl) fighting off zombies and scavenging for equipment. A lot was left unsaid in the trailer, though Naughty Dog has since shared a few details including the characters' names, Joel and Ellie. A plague has swept the nation and the two are forced to rely on each other and whatever supplies they can find as they make their way across the United States.

            Gears of War Developer's New Game is Called Fortnite

            Posted: 10 Dec 2011 06:47 PM PST

            Epic Games promised it had a new IP to debut tonight at the Spike VGAs, something that was unlike the space marine-filled game it's focused most of its time on in recent years, Gears of War. Based on the first trailer shown for the new game, it wasn't lying.

            Fortnite is about exploring, scavenging, and building, all in the name of survival. The trailer showed a cartoony, almost Team Fortress 2-like graphic style of characters pushing around a carriage filled with various objects made out of metal. That metal was then used to build a fort of sorts which was then attacked by monsters.

            BioWare's New Game is Command & Conquer Generals 2

            Posted: 10 Dec 2011 05:42 PM PST

             

            The newest game to come out of BioWare is quite a bit different from the Mass Effects and Dragon Ages we're used to seeing it produce. Command & Conquer Generals 2 has been officially announced as the title that was first teased with the image above last month.

            There was very little information shared; a brief trailer shown during the Spike VGAs revealed this to be what a new BioWare studio is at work on. The game runs on the Frostbite 2 engine (the same DICE-developed engine powering Battlefield 3 and Need for Speed: The Run) and is due out in 2013. And... well, that's all we know.

            Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD Revives Parts of the First Two Games in 2012

            Posted: 10 Dec 2011 03:58 PM PST

            Retired professional skateboarder Tony Hawk teased earlier this week he would have a videogame-related announcement of some sort to make today. Ahead of what's sure to be the official reveal during the Spike TV Video Game Awards tonight, Hawk has revealed two of the more adored games in his skateboarding franchise are getting the high-def treatment. Sort of.

            Speaking with Joystiq today, he explained that the new game is called Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD. It is comprised of levels from the first two Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games (which were released in 1999 and 2000, respectively) and, as the name suggests, they'll be in HD. Besides sharing that School and Downhill are among the levels included, he didn't mention anything else specific like what game modes are available or if online multiplayer support is present.

            Metal Gear Solid: Rising Being Developed by Platinum Games

            Posted: 10 Dec 2011 02:28 PM PST

            One of the rumors going around prior to E3 was that Metal Gear Solid: Rising was being developed not by Kojima Productions, but by Platinum Games. During the Spike TV Video Game Awards tonight, that will be revealed to be the case, although we've gotten a sneak preview of what's to come thanks to a trailer being leaked earlier today.

            The trailer -- which has been published on YouTube numerous times and then been quickly pulled -- looks nothing like a Kojima product. Towards the end of the three minutes, the Kojima Productions logo is shown under the words "Produced by," followed by Platinum's logo beneath "Developed by." Platinum's previous work includes MadWorld, Bayonetta, and Vanquish, and it's currently at work on Anarchy Reigns.

            MMOGaming News

            MMOGaming News


            Will Star Wars: The Old Republic Live Up to Expectations?

            Posted:

            Will Star Wars: The Old Republic Live Up to Expectations?


            Will this game truly be able to create an intriguing, epic story arch for every player considering all the logistical issues involved in an MMO experience? See what the beta testers said.

            Tips for Freshman in Hunter Blade

            Posted:

            Tips for Freshman in Hunter Blade


            Beijing an action online game, Hunter Blade seems to be a little bit difficult to new players. On the other hand, the newbie guide is detailed enough. So freshmen will become skillful in hunting as long as they know Hunter Blade system better.

            Mobile Suit Gundam Online: 100 Players Battles Are Allowed

            Posted:

            Mobile Suit Gundam Online: 100 Players Battles Are Allowed


            Namco Bandai just released a new Gundam MMO called Mobile Suit Gundam Online. Different from other Gundam MMOs, this new one allows battles with over 100 players. It has been announced that the alpha test will run from Dec 16th to 18th in Japan.

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