General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Microsoft Giving Tegra 3, Snapdragon S4 Test PCs to WOA Developers

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 05:39 PM PST

Earlier today, Microsoft released the Windows 8 Consumer Preview (beta) at the 2012 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, giving the general public an opportunity to preview Windows 8 on existing x86 systems and provide feedback. But Microsoft's "Consumer Preview" event wasn't just all about the beta released today for x86-based PCs. The company also showcased a number of Windows 8 on ARM devices at today's event.  Hit the jump for more.

Among the devices showcased today were tablets powered by ARM-based SoCs from NVIDIA (Tegra 3), Qualcomm (Snapdragon S4) and Texas Instruments (OMAP5430). Microsoft also announced a seeding program "to support the creation of compelling Metro style app and device experiences for Windows 8." Soon after, NVIDIA and Qualcomm announced their support for Microsoft's Windows on ARM developer seeding program in separate press releases.

As part of this invitation-only seeding program, developers and device makers will be furnished with Windows 8 test PCs based on NVIDIA's Tegra 3 SoC and Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 chip. Texas Instruments has yet to make an announcement in this regard.

"NVIDIA has a long record of supporting software developers working on the cutting edge of innovation," said Tony Tamasi, senior vice president of content and technology at NVIDIA, in a press release. "We're furthering this tradition by helping to realize the extraordinary potential of Windows on ARM processors, like Tegra 3."

"Qualcomm is committed to the Windows on ARM ecosystem and knows that enabling developers is a crucial factor for its success," said Luis Pineda, senior vice president of product management, computing and consumer products at Qualcomm. "We are now providing Snapdragon S4 test PCs with built-in 4G LTE, activated in some regions, to software application developers."

PlayStation Network to be Down for Maintenance on March 1 (Update: Postponed)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 05:24 PM PST

The PlayStation Network (PSN) will be down for several hours for scheduled maintenance on March 1, 2012, Sony has announced. The maintenance window, if all goes to plan, is expected to last from 8:00 AM till 10:00 PM PST. Hit the jump for more.

In a post on the official PlayStation blog, the company described the upcoming maintenance event as "significant." However, it did not give any details as to the exact nature of the maintenance.

"Unlike typical maintenance events, consumers who are already signed-in to PSN will be signed-out, and consumers will be unable to sign in for the duration of the maintenance window," reads the official announcement. "During this time, users won't be able to access the PlayStation Store, PlayStation Home, Account Management or play online."

"PSN enabled websites will not be able to service users, including this one. Please stay tuned to the PlayStation Twitter feed for a notice when PSN is fully back online."

Update: The maintenance period that was originally scheduled for March 1, 2012 has been postponed until further notice.

Dell Testing ARM-based Servers

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 05:10 PM PST

At a recent event organized to promote new servers from Dell, the company's eponymous founder and CEO Michael Dell described the world's third largest PC vendor as an end- to-end IT solutions provider, even going as far as saying "we're not a PC company." Actually, Dell's focus on the enterprise market has a strong arithmetical basis, with the consumer market being many times smaller than the multi-trillion dollar enterprise market. Not only is Round Road, Texas-based Dell in pursuit of a greater share of the enterprise IT market, but it wants to leave no stone unturned along the way.

For instance, it has now emerged that the company has been experimenting with ARM-based servers for quite sometime. This was recently confirmed by none other than the general manager for Dell's server solutions group, Forrest Norrod, who is reported to have told Forbes: "We've had ARM systems in our lab for over a year."

"If that's what our customers demand that's what we'll offer," Norrod told Forbes at an event on Monday. "Our management is independent of the processor powering the server. If we wanted to incorporate ARM into our server lineup,  to any management  tool it just looks like a PowerEdge server."

Even though he credited ARM for "some interesting advancements around power density," he doesn't expect ARM to take the server world by storm anytime soon, at least not until the first 64-bit ARM processors hit the market.

The 30 Best Tech Commercials of All Time

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 11:14 AM PST

In 2008, Microsoft smacked us up the side of our collective domes with a TV commercial campaign featuring comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Redmond commander-in-chief Bill Gates. The banter, we'd heard, would be off the proverbial hook. It was off the hook, alright. As in lying on the floor, dead. Ultimately, the Seinfeld-Gates combo was a bomb for the ages – uncomfortable, pointless, and simply unfunny.

But unlike tech product placement (which is pretty universally terrible), there are some real gems when it comes to TV commercials for tech products. 

We humbly suggest the following 30 commercials as the niftiest tech ads to ever hit the small screen. Ground-breaking, dazzling, uproariously funny, and sometimes simply remarkable for their uniqueness, they are, at the very least, a blast to watch. Enjoy. 

 

Low Cost Raspberry Pi PC Launches

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 10:36 AM PST

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview isn't the only piece of newsworthy tech to hit the proverbial streets today: the much-anticipated Raspberry Pi microcomputer has launched after over six years of planning and promises. Although it looks like a simple credit card-sized circuit board with various ports attached, the Pi packs enough computing power to rock 1080p video streams, AirPlay technology and XBMC.

A $25 version is planned, but only the $35 model is available for preorder currently. It includes a Broadcom-built ARM CPU/GPU, 256MB of RAM, and ports aplenty with an SD card slot, HDMI, RCA video and audio out, MicroUSB (for power), two USB 2.0 sockets and an Ethernet connection. (The $25 model will exclude the Ethernet and USB ports.) Wi-Fi is supported via a USB dongle.

The Raspberry Pi foundation has licensed Premier Farnell and RS Components, two British companies, to sell the pint-sized PCs. Hit those links to buy some Pi of your own, but be forewarned: they're getting hit pretty hard right now and are dropping out intermittently.

Update: Well, that was quick. VentureBeat is reporting that the first round of preorders are already sold out. Damn!

Windows 8 Consumer Preview Goes Live

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 10:06 AM PST

The slow, relentless trek towards the release of Windows 8 continues. The Developer Preview released several months back was nifty, but a bit rough around the edges -- as you would expect from an early build created for development use. Now, after months of rumors, tidbits and news about features that weren't included in the Developer Preview, you'll finally get a chance to try many of them out for yourself. Today, Microsoft unveiled the more polished and user friendly Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

Here are links to the standard Windows 8 Consumer Preview setup files and another page that offers Windows 8 CP ISO images. The images are fairly big -- 2.5GB for the 32-bit version and 3.3GB for the 64-bit version -- so expect to be downloading for a while if you have a slower connection.  The hardware requirements are as lax as Windows 7's. From the big ol' FAQ Microsoft released for the Consumer Preview:

  • Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster
  • RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)
  • Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
  • Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device or higher
  • To use touch, you need a tablet or a monitor that supports multitouch.
  • To access the Windows Store and to download and run apps, you need an active Internet connection and a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768.
  • To snap apps, you need a screen resolution of at least 1366 x 768.

We haven't had a chance to play around with the Consumer Preview too much yet (stupid work!) but hey, let's make this a group effort: if you go hands-on with the latest flavor of Windows 8, share your impressions with your fellow geeks in the comments below.

Authorities Arrest More than Two Dozen Suspected Anonymous Hackers

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 07:30 AM PST

Several suspected members of the Anonymous hacking group have proven to be anything but anonymous. National law enforcement officers in Europe and South America unmasked and arrested 25 individuals they believe are associated with the hacking group and who were living in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Spain, Interpol said, according to an AP report. The suspected hackers stand accused of planning coordinated cyber attacks against several institutions, including Columbia's defense ministry.

The Anonymous organization garnered a ton of media attention last year after it went on a hacking spree targeting businesses and agencies around the world, each of which had done humanity wrong in some way, shape. or form in the eyes of those coordinating the attacks. Some arrests have been made up to this point, but authorities have yet to take down the organization.

The most recent arrests follow an investigation that only began a couple of weeks ago, but has already begun paying dividends, including the seizure of 250 pieces of IT equipment and mobile phones in searches of more than three dozen specific locations in 15 cities.

Image Credit: myce.com

Toshiba is Third Wheel in Western Digital's Acquisition of Hitachi

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 07:01 AM PST

Western Digital would like nothing more than to finalize its proposed takeover of Hitachi's hard drive business, and to facilitate the process, WD agreed to transfer an asset package to rival Toshiba to ease concerns of regulatory agencies. The package includes equipment and intellectual property (IP) that will enable Toshiba to build and sell 3.5-inch hard drives for desktops, consumer electronics (things like DVRs), and near-line (business critical) applications.

Rather than pay cash for these assets, Toshiba in return has agreed to sign over a 2.5-inch HDD factory in Thailand that's been out of operation since severe flooding rolled through late last year.

The swap in HDD technology and assets between Western and Toshiba is largely a play to satisfy regulatory concerns in the European Union. In order to merge with Hitachi, WD had to divest part of its 3.5-inch HDD business, and this agreement does exactly that while also getting WD something in return.

WD expects its deal with Toshiba to close in March 2012, conditioned on WD's closing of its planned acquisition of Hitatci Global Storage Technologies (HGST).

AMD Slashes Phenom II CPU Prices Up to 15 Percent

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 06:26 AM PST

After launching a pair of new FX Series processors yesterday -- FX-4170 and FX-6200 -- AMD decided to take a battleaxe to its processor price list and give it a hefty swing. The bulk of the blade landed on the chip maker's Phenom II CPU section, though a couple of FX Series processors also sustained pricing related injuries from AMD's attack. Several of the price kits crept into double digit percentages, none larger than the Phenom II X4 965, which was reduced by 14.8 percent.

The revised price list (in 1,000 unit tray quantities) breaks down as follows:

  • Phenom II X2 555: $85 down from $90 (5.6 percent)
  • Phenom II X4 840: $103 down from $105 (1.9 percent)
  • Phenom II X4: 955: $105 down from $117 (10.3 percent)
  • Phenom II X4 965: $115 down from $135 (14.8 percent)
  • Phenom II X4 970: $145 down from $155 (6.6 percent)
  • Phenom II X4 975: $155 down from $175 (11.4 percent)
  • Phenom II X4 980: $165 down from $185 (10.8 percent)
  • Phenom II X6 1055T: $155 down from $165 (6.1 percent)
  • Phenom II X6 1075T: $165 down from $181 (8.8 percent)

AMD also cut the price of its FX-8120 from $205 to $185 (9.8 percent) and its FX-6100 from $155 to $145 (6.5 percent), and added a couple of Accelerated Processing Units (APUs), including the A6-3620 ($09) and A8-3820 ($129). The new APUs were previously only available in OEM systems.

Intel Sells Flash Assets to Micron for $600 Million

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 06:01 AM PST

Technology giants Intel and Micron hammered out revised agreements to expand their NAND Flash memory joint venture relationship, the two companies announced this week. As part of the agreements, Micron will buy back Intel's stake in two wafer fabrication plants for $600 million, half of which will be paid in cash and the rest deposited with Micron to be refunded or applied to Intel's future purchases.

"The Intel-Micron partnership has created industry-leading NAND Flash memory technology and developed a robust global manufacturing network. The new NAND Flash supply agreement with Micron gives Intel better flexibility to meet growing demand for SSDs and other products," said Robert Crooke, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group, Intel.

NAND flash memory is used in a wide range of devices, including USB thumb drives, solid state drives (SSDs), tablets PCs, smartphones, and the list goes on. Intel and Micron have been working together for years to produce NAND flash memory and formed the joint venture IM Flash Technologies (IMFT). As part of these new agreements, Micron will increase its share of the overall output.

The deal is expected to close during the first half of 2012.

Image Credit: IM Flash Technologies

MMO News

MMO News


Spirit Tales Press Preview

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 03:36 PM PST

Spirit Tales, published by KoramGame, is a new version of Glory Destiny Online, designed specifically for Western audiences.  MMOHut had an opportunity to participate in a preview of the game, letting us get a first look at what you can expect from this whimsical fantasy adventure before it enters closed beta.



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As always, our first task in the game was to create a character.  Spirit Tales has three races: Gold Kirin, Maned Dragon and Lunar Fox.  Each race has two classes, for six total starting classes.  All classes show your beast form during creation, too.  Male characters are fierce looking and animalistic in these forms, but females, unfortunately, suffer from a more simplistic design.  We decided on a Lunar Fox Assassin, and proceeded to the customization screen.  There is quite a selection for all the customization options (hair, face, race specials, tails, and skin color), which is refreshing to see.

We were then treated to a cut-scene that provided some of the game’s lore: the three races once all mingled and traded together, living peacefully in the world.  Suddenly, an invasion from the North forced them to band together to fight against these new foes.  While the story is slightly cliché, the simple roots helped to expand a sense of the world we were entering.



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After the opening sequence, we were taught how to quest through a small tooltip on the side of our screen.  We also received our first quest from the village chief through this pop-up.  Moving around in the world can be done with WASD and the arrow keys, as well as using click to move.  The camera is rotated by holding the right mouse button.

Right clicking interacts with most objects in game.  After talking with the the item trader (like our quest directs us), we earn some experience, copper, and 15 health and mana potions.  Nice.  The beginning quests teach you about important NPCs and their functions, like the item trader, weapon trader, armor trader, and medic.  Our next task is to kill some evil flowers that are attacking farmers.



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This gives us our first taste of combat in Spirit Tales.  Double left-clicking on an enemy starts auto-attack.  Using skills is slightly different, as you must first place the skill on your action bar, and then press the corresponding number to map it to right click.  Right click then uses that skill.  It's a bit awkward at first, but it's also not terribly hard to get used to: all it takes is remembering to switch skills by pressing the action bar number, and then using right click to activate them.  Once we've killed our eight flowers, we return to town as the triumphant hero.  Loot from defeated monsters is handled automatically, which is nice.

As we were killing flowers, we also leveled up.  This yielded us a skill point, and another tooltip came up to help us learn to distribute it.  Spirit Tales uses a skill tree system for each class, containing both active and passive skills.  Many of the skills are tiered, meaning in order to learn the skill we have to put the requisite amount of points into the skill (usually three or five).  Putting skill points into an ability costs currency in addition to the skill point.  You can respec at any time before level 30; however, you're not refunded for the money spent on the skills.



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The game also features an auto-routing system to easily get to NPCs and monsters.   While the routing is generally fine, there were occasional obstacles that got us stuck.  These are few and far between, fortunately.

Spirit Tales allows for weapon crafting.  These weapons far outclass anything else you can get at the level required to equip them.  To craft a set of level 10 daggers, we had to collect raw ingredients.  These items are somewhat rare, so some grinding was required. You can access information about each monster’s drops through the user interface, which makes finding what you need easier.  We were also able to enhance our weapons and armor.  The first three upgrades are guaranteed with the beginning upgrade items.  After that, there is a good chance your item will be destroyed if you continue.  Weapons gain more attack power, and armor gains increased stats, like HP, MP, Strength and Agility.  Armor also has benefits for upgrading it further, shown at the bottom of each piece.



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In the starting area, you get to choose one of three pets.  Once you've reached level 15 and complete a quest, you can capture additional monsters by using rice balls.  Monsters can also be fused together to gain additional skills and passive abilities.

Spirit Tales also features a nice achievement system.  There are many named monsters that are much more difficult to kill than the monsters around them.  Each of these rare monsters, when killed, earns the character an achievement, and most also give a title.  Titles aren't simply cosmetic, either.  Every title we unlocked gave an additional boost; for example, Glorious Shield Soldier (one we obtained simply by doing quests) gave us a boost to attack speed and parry.



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Spirit Tales holds a lot of promise.  The game is colorful and easy to play.  It also promises a lot of depth with the talent trees, pet system and crafting.  Beta testing will begin soon, so if you're interested in vibrant, whimsical design and an entertaining experience overall, Spirit Tales might be the game for you. Keep your eyes peeled for more Spirit Tales features here on MMOHut.

 

 

Bigpoint reveals Game of Thrones MMO

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 01:50 PM PST

Games publisher Bigpoint has revealed that it will offer a first-look into the production of its Game of Thrones MMO at GDC.

Created with the partnership of HBO and the development team of Artplant, the game is fully inspired by the television show, Game of Thrones (adapted from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin). The game will be set in the medieval world of Westeros and its Seven Kingdoms. Game of Thrones will use the Unity engine, which also powers Bigpoint’s Battlestar Galactica Online.

CEO and Founder of Bigpoint, Heiko Hubertz, stated:

"We intend to build a game that resonates intimately with its diehard community of followers, while also creating an authentic gaming experience that attracts newcomers to the franchise. The excitement of online games is that, over time, their collective input will help shape the game's destiny; we're eager to see how the story unfolds."

Closed beta for the game is planned to begin in fall 2012.

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Game of Thrones Screenshot

Source:

Bigpoint to Give Sneak-Peek of Game of Thrones Browser-Based MMORPG at Upcoming Game Developers Conference

Free-to-Play Fantasy Role Playing Game to Capture the Dark World and Deadly Battles from the Emmy® Winning Show

Game Developers Conference – San Francisco – Feb. 29, 2012 – Bigpoint (www.bigpoint.com) – a global leader in online video games – today announced it will provide an exclusive first look into the pre-production of the upcoming Game of Thrones browser-based massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG), at the Game Developers Conference. Bigpoint has partnered with HBO to develop the game inspired by the network's critically acclaimed television show, Game of Thrones, adapted from the bestselling fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, written by George R.R. Martin. The game will be set within the fictional, medieval world of Westeros and its Seven Kingdoms, where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime. Bigpoint will discuss the game's development with select journalists at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco next week, March 7-9.

 

"With a rich and complex story, expressed through an amazing level of detail, it's easy to see why the HBO series, Game of Thrones, has amassed an army of fans worldwide," said Heiko Hubertz, CEO and founder, Bigpoint. "We intend to build a game that resonates intimately with its diehard community of followers, while also creating an authentic gaming experience that attracts newcomers to the franchise. The excitement of online games is that, over time, their collective input will help shape the game's destiny; we're eager to see how the story unfolds."

 

Bigpoint's design goal is to capture the show's compelling drama and action and create a visceral gaming experience via an unprecedented level of visual fidelity. The bloodthirsty struggle for power, corruption, and deception will persist. To ensure survival of their dynasty, players must master combat and politics.

 

"Game of Thrones is set in a mythical fantasy world and features compelling stories of honor, adventure and the struggle to conquer your opponents, a narrative that lends itself perfectly to gaming," states Martin.

 

"The creation of a Game of Thrones online role-playing game is a perfect natural extension to the series. The show has resonated extremely well with fans so we think they will be terribly excited to have an opportunity to be personally immersed in all the action," explained series executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. "As a gamer I couldn't be happier seeing the series translated to this medium and can't wait to play it," added Weiss.

 

Bigpoint has selected seasoned Norwegian development studio, Artplant, as its development partner for this project. The title will be built atop the Unity development platform, the technology behind several of Bigpoint's breakthrough titles, including Battlestar Galactica Online, which Artplant also helped develop. Over 80 million consumers have installed the Unity plug-in, which enables them to play extremely high-fidelity games through their web browsers.

 

The design and the pre-production phase of the game began last summer, and an initial closed beta is planned for fall 2012. Journalists interested in receiving an overview of the project should contact Bigpoint's U.S. PR team to schedule a briefing. All briefings will take place in Bigpoint's booth, (North Hall, #702). Fans are encouraged to visit: http://www.GameofThronesMMO.com/ for more information.

Brick-Force begins closed beta

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 12:47 PM PST

Brick-Force, a unique new shooter published by Infernum, has begun closed beta testing.

Closed beta will continue to invite players through several waves as the testing continues, and registration is still being accepted at www.brick-force.com. The new website offers an official home for the game, and will feature tutorials, media, community features, and a forum. The game is currently playable in six languages on the PC; browser-based versions and a sandbox mode for smartphones and tablets will be available later in the game’s testing phases.

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Brick Force Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Successful Launch of Brick-Force Closed Beta

Closed beta phase and launch of new website for cross-platform online game

BERLIN, Germany – February 29, 2012 – Yesterday evening, Brick-Force‘s closed beta phase was unleashed. The first selected players are blasting and building their way through Brick-Force already, and more will be released onto the servers during several waves. Those who wish to access the Brick-Force universe to “Build, Share and Play” can still register over at the brand-new official www.brick-force.com.

Just in time for yesterday’s beta launch, the Brick-Force website was placed online. Visitors can expect a range of tutorials, media, community functions and features that will be expanded upon. A community forum will also be implemented very soon.
In the current test phase Brick-Force is playable on PC in six languages, and the browser based version will be within the next weeks. Furthermore, sandbox mode will be playable on smartphones and tablets, thanks to the Unity 3 Engine. The open beta phase and official release will follow later this spring.

Wakfu officially launches

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 12:34 PM PST

Square Enix (in North America) and Ankama (in Europe) have officially launched Wakfu today in both regions.

Wakfu is available as a free download, with limited free content available for players. An optional monthly subscription ($6.00 per month) is available to grant access to premium content, which includes max level, additional game areas and story chapters, profession mastery, guild participation, and the ability to become governor. The launch also includes the debut of the cash shop, where players can purchase cosmetic items and exclusive content and services.

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Wafku Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Square Enix and ANKAMA Launch WAKFU®

Tactical Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game Now Available In North America for PC, Mac and Linux

 

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Embark on a mystical journey through the magical World of Twelve as Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in the Americas, and ANKAMA, an independent digital creation group and developer, today announce the North American launch of their tactical massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), WAKFU® for PC, Mac and Linux.

Now available as a free download from the official site www.wakfu.com/na, WAKFU also offers a monthly subscription fee of $6.00 that gives players access to premium content. Premium members have the ability to reach the highest levels, explore all available game areas and story chapters, master all 16 professions, create and join guilds and even become the next governor. In addition, both free and premium monthly membership players will have access to WAKFU’s microtransaction-based store to purchase cosmetic items and a variety of exclusive content and services post launch all of which will continue to enhance a player’s experience.

 

“The talented team at ANKAMA has done an exceptional job at taking a traditional MMO and transforming it into a breathtaking episodic excursion,” said Jason Herczeg, vice president of online at Square Enix. “ANKAMA is the ideal partner for Square Enix as we evolve to provide top tier, service-oriented content across all devices and platforms to our passionate community.”

 

“Empowering the player and putting them in control of their own destiny throughout their journey makes for an unforgettable MMO adventure,” added Anthony Roux, chief executive officer at ANKAMA. “The game has been a labor of love for everyone on the development team and we are thrilled to finally share our special creation for all to enjoy.”

 

With 12 distinct, completely customizable character classes to select from and a variety of missions and turn-based combat to engage in, WAKFU takes place in a vibrant and immersive world where players’ choices are paramount and actions directly impact a continuously evolving ecosystem. Featuring a rich political system, players can defend their nation against enemy attacks, conquer new territories, vote, elect government officials and even run for governor!

The Lord of the Rings Online previews Update 6′s new areas

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 12:22 PM PST

Turbine has released new details about the areas coming to The Lord of the Rings Online.

Update 6: The Shores of the Great River will introduce seven new areas to the game: Thinglad, Parth Celebrant, Eorlsmead, Wailing Hills, Limlight Gorge, The Rushgore, and the Brown Lands. Along with dozens of new screenshots of these areas below, descriptions of each of these areas have been released as follows:

 

Thinglad

Assist the sentinels of Lothlórien in patrolling their southern border and mediate relations between the Galadhrim and the Rohirrim of Stangard who have recently been clashing during patrols. At the same time, heroes are needed to scatted Orcs and Wargs that have moved into the area before they become a larger threat to the region.

Geography: Thinglad is defined by its tall, grey trees with twisted, roots that drink deeply from the Great River. The forest is misty and shadowed while the skies are pale and as cheerless as the land itself.

Lore: Once part of the Golden Wood, Thinglad has become a no man's land between Lothlórien and Rohan in the last 200 years.

Parth Celebrant

Confront troubles both living and undead upon the fields of Parth Celebrant where a great treason once befell Gondor. Bring redemption to the traitorous shades so they may rest or destroy them if they are beyond aid.

Geography: The ruins of an ancient Gondorian keep, where brave soldiers once kept watch, stand at the southern edge of Parth Celebrant, overlooking the green plains.

Lore: The site of the fiercest fighting during the Battle of the Fields of Celebrant, Parth Celebrant is also the site of a terrible betrayal. Gondorian soldiers allowed their fortress to fall to the enemy in exchange for safety and Eastern riches, condemning their countrymen to death.

Eorlsmead

Though the soldiers of Stangard are strong and fiercely loyal to their king, the village has fallen on hard times and hope is in short supply. Lift spirits by helping with shortages of food and supplies and thinning the numbers of hostile beasts in the area. Root out the source of mistrust and discontent amongst the council.

Geography: Established on the highest rise in the rolling plains of Eorlsmead, the Rohirrim village of Stangard keeps its watch over the region.

Lore: Though many men who serve at Stangard have been sent as punishment for recent, petty crimes, the village remains fiercely loyal to Rohan and Théoden, their king.

Wailing Hills

Many years have passed since the height of Rohan's strength along the Great River and Orcs and spiders have returned to the Wailing Hills. Drive out the Orcs and prevent them from allying themselves with the White Hand.

Geography: The Wailing Hills are defined by the steep, rocky outcroppings, called tors, which stretch out from the Misty Mountains like long fingers. Statues of Cirion of Gondor and Eorl the Young rise from the earth as ancient symbols of friendship but Orcs, growing bolder, have begun to defile them.

Lore: Hundreds of years ago, the forefathers of Rohan destroyed a great Easterling army in the deep valleys of the Wailing Hills to save the forces of Cirion, Steward of Gondor. The name of the land itself comes from the Rohirric word wael meaning "slaughter.

Limlight Gorge

Descend into the Limlight Gorge, where an unnatural storm has cast the land into deep shadow. Hunt fearsome trolls from the Misty Mountains who wander freely, no longer fearing the sun, and investigate the mysterious grove spreading at the base of the cliff beneath Fangorn Forest.

Geography: Caught between the rugged Misty Mountains and the northern reaches of Fangorn Forest, Limlight Gorge is a dangerous and untamed wilderness. Here, the Limlight River gushes forth over falls and rapids as it flows eastward to join the Anduin.

Lore: The appearance of the unnatural storms from the North and the encroachment of Fangorn from the South gives the area an uneasy feeling as unseen forces seem to fight for dominance over the canyon.

Brown Lands

Contend with an invading host within the desolate Brown Lands. Here the Rohirrim struggle to keep an old foe at bay while fortifying against their enemies' mysterious new allies.

Geography: Ravaged thousands of years ago during a terrible war, the Brown Lands are nearly inhospitable and are filled with withered scrub and stones as far as the eye can see.

Lore: It is believed that the Brown Lands were devastated by the power of Sauron himself nearly 3,000 years ago during the War of the Last Alliance. Before that, many beautiful gardens were tended here though little evidence of them now remains.

The Rushgore

Within the murky marshland of the Rushgore, ruthless brigands, once only a nuisance, have become a threat to the region. Pursue these brigands to reclaim priceless relics of Rohan and Gondor and extend aid to woodsmen who have found themselves overwhelmed while travelling north and now cannot leave.

Geography: A treacherous marshland, the Rushgore serves as the buffer between the fields of Parth Celebrant and the bleak Brown Lands. The eastern end of the Rushgore is one of the few places at which the Anduin can be crossed without the aid of boats.

Lore: Little is now known of the Rushgore and was known has been lost to time.

 

The Lord of the Rings Online: Update 6 Screenshots

 

League of Legends introduces Fiora

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 11:42 AM PST

League of Legends has prepared a new champion: Fiora, the Grand Duelist.

The Fiora patch introduces the new champion, described as the “first true melee carry since the initial launch of League of Legends.” The champion offers a Lunge, Burst of Speed, Riposte, and Blade Waltz in her skill set. The patch also makes changes for several champions, including Lux, Olaf, and Ziggs, plus additional game tweaks including adjustments to colorblind mode and Co-Op vs. AI.

League of Legends Champion Spotlight: Fiora, The Grand Duelist

Source:

New Skins in the Store

  • Royal Guard Fiora
  • Nightraven Fiora
  • Bladecraft Orianna

PVP.net v1.55

  • Ranked Teams
    • Fixed a bug with the background on the Team Invite popup
    • Fixed a bug where Team status would be missing on the Team Profile
    • Fixed a bug where Ranked Team specific notifications would not send properly
    • Fixed several bugs with client side stat calculation and display

League of Legends v1.0.0.135

Fiora, The Grand Duelist

  • Duelist (passive) – Fiora regenerates health over 6 seconds each time she deals damage. Striking champions will cause this effect to stack up to 4 times.
  • Lunge – Fiora dashes forward to strike her target, dealing physical damage. Fiora can perform the dash a second time within a couple seconds at no mana cost.
  • Riposte - Fiora’s Attack Damage is increased. When activated, Fiora parries the next basic attack and reflects magic damage back to the attacker. Works against champions, monsters, and large minions.
  • Burst of Speed – Fiora temporarily gains additional Attack Speed. Each basic attack or Lunge she lands during this time increases her Movement Speed. Killing a champion refreshes the cooldown on Burst of Speed.
  • Blade Waltz (ultimate) – Fiora dashes around the battlefield to deal physical damage to enemy champions. Successive strikes against the same target deal less damage.

Alistar

  • Triumphant Roar mana cost increased to 28/41/54/67/80 from 20/35/50/65/80
  • Unbreakable Will mana cost reduced to 100 from 150
  • Trample damage increased to 10-27 per second from 10-23

Fizz

  • Base damage increased to 56 from 54
  • Armor per level increased to 3.4 from 3.1
  • Churn the Waters mana cost reduced to 100 from 150

Galio

  • Idol of Durand damage range increased to 600 from 575

Irelia

  • Fixed a particle issue with Transcendent Blades (Hotfixed 2/21)

Jax

  • Fixed a bug where Grandmaster’s Might passive attack canceled if the buff ran out during the attack animation

Lee Sin

  • Sonic Wave base damage increased to 50/80/110/140/170 from 45/75/105/135/165 (Hotfixed 2/21 due to an unintended nerf in the Nautilus patch)

Lux

  • Lucent Singularity
    • Now additionally grants vision while in flight to its destination
    • Now starts its cooldown when cast rather than when detonated
    • Cooldown increased to 10 seconds from 9
    • Now displays a buff showing how long Lucent Singularity will last until it automatically detonates
  • Finales Funkeln
    • Now grants vision of the affected area during the spell and vision of enemy champions hit for a short duration afterwards
    • Lux can no longer use Flash while casting Finales Funkeln

Malphite

  • Granite Shield now shows a cooldown timer
  • Unstoppable Force
    • Area of effect radius on impact increased to 325 from 300
    • Malphite can no longer flash while using Unstoppable Force
    • Fixed a bug where Malphite would seem to hit the target but would not cause the effect

Miss Fortune

  • Strut now shows a cooldown timer

Nocturne

  • Umbra Blades now has a passive cooldown timer like Ziggs and Shen

Olaf

  • Axe Throw
    • Damage increased to 80-260 from 50-210
    • Scaling changed to +1.0 bonus AD from +0.5 total AD
    • Base cooldown reduced to 8 seconds from 10
    • Cooldown reduction for picking up the axe reduced to 4.5 seconds from 6
  • Ragnarok now provides 30/45/60 Armor and Magic Resist instead of 20/30/40 flat damage reduction
  • Movement Speed increased to 325 from 320

Poppy

  • Paragon of Demacia now shows you over its icon how many stacks you have

Shen

  • Fixed a few bugs with ability sounds
  • The following changes were hotfixed out on 2/21:
    • Base armor reduced to 19 from 23
    • Vorpal Blade health scaling lowered to 1.5% from 2%
    • Feint Energy cost increased to 50 from 40 at all levels
    • Base shield value reduced to 70/115/160/205/250 from 70/120/170/220/270

Teemo

  • Health per level increased to 82 from 77
  • Move Quick’s passive component now shows a cooldown timer
  • Noxious Trap arm time reduced to 1 seconds from 2

Tristana

  • Explosive Shot cast range increased to 625 from 600

Ziggs

  • Hexplosive Mines
    • Mana cost reduced to 70/80/90/100/110 from 80/90/100/110/120
    • Slow duration reduced to 1.5 seconds from 2
    • Damage from 2nd and subsequent mines reduced to 40% from 50%
  • Fixed a bug where Ziggs’ Mad Scientist skin was leaving particles on the map (Hotfixed 2/21)

Items

  • Madred’s Bloodrazor attack damage increased to 40 from 30

General

  • Improved minimap visibility of turrets in Colorblind Mode
  • Colorblind announcement colors now reference blue (friendly) and purple (enemy) teams
  • Important items purchased by your team will now be called out in chat (Aura items, Sight and Vision Wards, top tier items, etc)
  • Champion Kill messages are now more specific
  • You can now activate a timestamp for game chat in the options menu
  • When colorblind mode is activated, movement cursor is included with new color scheme (was not before)
  • Announcer callouts no longer reference blue team/purple team, and instead should reference friendly/enemy team (ie. A friendly inhibitor is respawning soon/the enemy inhibitor has respawned)
  • Champions will now attempt to run home immediately when disconnecting, rather than attempting to Recall
  • Small monster camp sigils now restore up to 30 Mana in addition to Health
  • Small Golem camp
    • Movement Speed increased to 300 from 180
    • Medium Golem base damage increased to 59 from 54
  • Fixed a bug where whisper messages were the wrong color

Co-Op Versus AI

  • Added Blitzcrank bot to the roster of bots in Co-Op versus AI.
  • Improved bots’ ability to last hit and reduced how much they push their lanes.
  • Reduced the amount of gold given to bots on Summoner’s Rift Intermediate.
  • Added the ability for bots to call for help from nearby bots.
  • Improved the precision of skill shots and ground targeted AoE abilities.
  • Minor bug fixes with Leona, Lux, and Shyvana bots.

Art

  • Fixed animation bugs on the following skins:
    • Toy Soldier Gangplank
    • Jade Dragon Wukong
    • Superb Villain Veigar
    • Headhunter Master Yi

C9 finishes VIP testing

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 11:23 AM PST

Continent of the Ninth Seal (C9) has finished its VIP testing phase, publisher Webzen announced.

The test ended with a special event to allow testers and GMs to say goodbye to each other. Webzen reports the test has offered insight into improving localization and meeting player’s desires for the game. The test featured three playable characters and three playable continent choices, along with the Arena and Intrusion PvP system. Webzen hopes to launch the service for C9 by the summer.

Webzen also publishes Archlord and the upcoming Arctic Combat, which will be shown alongside C9 at GDC.

37773  420x310 continent of the ninth webzen

C9 Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

WEBZEN 'C9' Marks the Grand Finale of its VIP Test

WEBZEN Inc. (WWW.WEBZEN.COM), the Next Generation of Free-to-Play Online Games, has successfully finished their first VIP Test for 'C9' (Continent of the Ninth Seal) and takes one step closer to its official launch.

 

On February 28th, WEBZEN closed the test server for the VIP Test that started last February 4th. To end the VIP Test, an event took place where the VIP testers and GMs gathered around to say goodbye. With satisfactory results and various feedbacks from the VIP testers, WEBZEN has a better view of localization and what the users want.

 

With a limited 10,000 VIP Testers and about 10 times more of whom were eager to join the VIP Test visited C9's official website and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/C9Webzen) to express their excitement and anticipation.

 

For this VIP Test of C9, 3 of the 9 continents were introduced along with 3 playable characters the Fighter, Hunter, and Shaman with their advancement classes. Another main feature, the PVP system, was introduced later in the VIP Test with its 'Arena' and unique 'Intrusion' system, allowing users to test their precise control against other users.

 

Testers expressed their thoughts about C9 through their feedback, where many testers mentioned they could actually feel the action and perform infinite skill combos which are some of C9's key features. Also, other comments and suggestions were about the localization of C9.

 

Jihun Lee, Head of Global Publishing, said, "With the results and valuable feedbacks from the VIP Test, we will be able to improve the localization of C9." Also he said, "We will focus on localization and development to bring the service of C9 global as soon as this summer with a possibility of additional tests in between."

 

Meanwhile, WEBZEN will attend the 2012 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, USA, starting from March 7th to the 9th giving visitors a chance to play 'C9' and their new FPS title 'ARCTIC COMBAT'.

 

More information about the Action RPG 'C9' can be found at the official Facebook community (http://www.facebook.com/C9Webzen) and website (http://c9.webzen.com).

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates


Aion goes free to play today

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 09:27 AM PST

NCsoft today passes European operation and support for Aion, it's eastern inspired MMO, to the German gaming giant Gameforge.

If you want to areactivate your account and catch up with new developments, Gameforge asks that you to log on to your NCsoft Master Account and follow a few simple instructions.

Aion's updated website holds all the details regarding limitations of the free to play model, but as we discovered in December, it's nowhere near as limiting as you might think.


Posted by: admin in Gaming News
Find related article at: http://www.totalpcgaming.com/general/aion-goes-free-to-play-today/

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OP-ED: Netflix’s Failures Highlight Steam’s Strength

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 03:27 AM PST

Netflix subscribers will find their movie selection gutted tomorrow, as the service removes thousands of movies and TV shows due to the end of its contract with the premium cable movie network Starz, which, while providing only around 5% of the overall Netflix library, just happens to offer some of the more popular content.

The same thing happens to online game providers, from Netflix-like streaming services like OnLive, to more traditional digital distribution platforms like Xbox Live or Steam. With all this uncertainty one might be tempted to simply stick with physical media, but despite what its ardent defenders will tell you, the physical media sold by normal retail channels comes with a finite lifespan. Regardless of whether you stream, download, or buy optical discs, no game you purchase will last forever, and any streaming service will face periodic mass delistings like Netflix as contracts change every few years. Meaning downloadable game services may offer you the best chance of playing your favorite game thirty years from now.

Though OnLive hasn’t shaped the way we play games in the same way that Netflix changed the country’s viewing habits, the game-streaming service will one day have to cope with losing valuable content like Netflix. The value of the service to customers changes with every contract signed or partnership ended. While the same could be said of more traditional digital distribution services like Xbox Live Arcade and Steam, which allow users to download their purchases, those platforms utilize a set of robust policies that minimize damage done to their users — when a title disappears from either of those providers, those who previously purchased the game can still download it at will. Some may choose to wash their hands of digital distribution all together, but data degradation on physical media may very well render your disc-based games unplayable long before they’re removed from Steam’s catalog.

The ever moving pace of technological development turns the simple act of playing an older game into a trial. How many players purchased Chrono Trigger in 1996 and still have their SNES ready and TV connected? Does anyone still keep a 5.5-inch floppy drive connected to their machine just in case they just so they can play the original version of The Secret of Monkey Island at a moment’s notice? In principle, purchasing games stored on physical media means that one will have access to that game anytime and anywhere in perpetuity. In practice, it means hunting down the right hardware in the attic or basement (assuming you still have it) and overcoming numerous other challenges like how to hook a SNES or Genesis up to a modern TV. Even after one goes to all that trouble, the media, be it cartridge, disk, or CD, which stores the games has a very finite lifespan. Most NES cartridge batteries died years ago, along with most floppy discs, and a good portion of CDs or DVDs. Steady and perpetual data degradation cannot be stopped. A small number of hardcore gamers may choose to jump through the hoops necessary to preserve game data and maintain hardware, but most won’t. The troubles don’t justify the gain when we live in age where five or six dollars will allow you to play most (but by no means all) classic games on modern hardware via digital distribution.

The systems worked out to serve Origin or Steam customers after a delisting may not function for every title. In all likelihood, our collective Steam libraries are unlikely to make it to the end of the decade or beyond without losing playability on a handful of titles, but the convenience is worth re-buying old favorites on the cheap once a decade or so. Though critics of digital distribution make a fuss about the ability to play a game indefinitely, standard industry practices already place a de facto time limit on all games purchased. Meanwhile, the supposed “long-tail” of streaming services is subject to the whims and desires of individual publishers and their relationship with service providers. Maybe you won’t be able to download the same purchase of Dead Space 2 from Steam in twenty years, but will you jump through the hoops of finding a non-red ringed 360 capable of interfacing with a futuristic 4320p display, or track down whatever streaming service happens to host the game for the time being and subscribe? Players shouldn’t be forced into making a decision like this, but the business realties of the industry are more than enough to surpass any pro-consumer idealism, and they heavily favor downloadable digital distribution.

Assault Fire (CN)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 01:27 AM PST


Early last month, I did a small preview of this game with some in-game videos (link), and this time round I am back with a new update on Assault Fire. Developed using the Unreal 3 Engine by China’s biggest online gaming company, Tencent Games, a new mode called “Mecha Storm” was added just a few days ago for the Alpha Testing Phase.

Although there is only 1 map for this mode now, I did enjoy the newbie-friendly shooting aspect of this mode. As you all might have read previously, I am not exactly keen playing online shooters given the face the fact seasoned players with tactics can easily pawn newbies like me. The Mecha Storm mode is more for casual players, similar to the Monster Spawn PVE mode found in my previous post.

Fora few rounds, players will play as Humans while a few others will play as the Mechas. Mechas have slightly different weapons with gatling guns as the normal attack with rocket missiles as the secondary, both highly immense in raw power. With much slower normal movement speed, Mechas are gifted with a hover ability and a short sprint action which will knock into Human players, killing them.

Playing has Humans, there will be mysterious small portals scattered around the map at fixed positions. Once in awhile, there will be question mark signs spawning there, which players will be noticed. These signs will provide players with a random extra weapon (flamethrower, rocket launcher etc) which deals much more damage to Mechas compared to the default sub-machine gun. Before I forget, Assault Fire has a leveling system as well.

Given that this is still the Alpha Test Phase, more modes are in development and Tencent Games’ first foray in using the Unreal 3 Engine, Assault Fire is panning out pretty well for me despite critics saying the graphics and actions are kind of underwhelming. Tencent Games is really slow in expanding their reaches into the English market, with Perfect World currently the expansion king, hence I doubt we will see this game reaching English shores any time soon.


Posted by: admin in Gaming News
Find related article at: http://www.mmoculture.com/2011/10/assault-fire-cn-mecha-storm-update.html

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Kritika (KR)

Posted: 28 Feb 2012 09:25 PM PST


[More info] I thought I should share this news to refresh readers about the game’s existence. In yet another exclusive for Mainland China. Kritika, which was revealed last year, will be hosted in China by the country’s biggest online games operator, Tencent Games (link). As usual, there is no news of an English server at all.

Developed by Korean studio, All-M, the creator of Lunia Online (link), Kritika is hailed as a “super fast” action MMORPG with combat similar to console games’. Like most of the action online titles out there, Kritika will be dungeon-based and focus mainly on combat combos with inspirations from fighting games such as Tekken and The King of Fighter, as well as Lunia Online.

When asked about the game’s core features, the producer simply replied “Combat, and more combat”… Kritika is currently scheduled to enter its first Closed Beta in Korea before the first half of this year.


Posted by: admin in Gaming News
Find related article at: http://www.mmoculture.com/2012/02/kritika-kr-making-its-way-to-china.html

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SSX Review: The Former King of the Mountain Returns

Posted: 28 Feb 2012 03:25 PM PST

Three teenagers — a mutable boy with headphones, a nervous and slightly nerdy boy, and a busty girl they barely know — are hanging out in Tokyo Shibuya’s ward one day. Suddenly, disaster strikes! A massive earthquake rips the city apart, knocking out the power grid, phone service, trains, utilities, everything. The city’s harried survivors huddle together in parks and other open spaces as the trio, brought together by this disaster and unified by their possession of mysterious cell phones that still work, find themselves responding to eerie predictions of their own deaths by summoning demons — pixies, ogres, kobolds, and more — with their phones. Soon, they become embroiled in a much larger tale as the vanguard of humanity’s battle against an incursion of otherworldly monsters that threatens the whole of the world, facing off against ever more powerful invaders through turn-based combat with grid-based deployment.

If all of this sounds familiar, that’s because this is the premise of 2009′s Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor for DS (and last year’s slightly tweaked 3DS remake, Overclocked). It is also, to a word, the premise of Devil Survivor 2. You’d be forgiven for writing off DS2 as a copy-and-paste rehash of its predecessor, because the similarities between the two games’ opening are downright uncanny. It’s not until you’ve invested a couple of hours into the game that it begins to spiral away from what’s come before and take on its own shape and identity.


Posted by: admin in Gaming News
Find related article at: http://www.1up.com/reviews?cId=3186788

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Shadow Company (KR)

Posted: 28 Feb 2012 01:26 PM PST


Nope, this is not a wrestling game if you focused too much on “Fatal 4 Way”. Announced back in May earlier this year (link), Shadow Company: The Mercenary War is one of CJ Entertainment Media’s many new online shooter titles scheduled to be released over the next few months. The developer of the game, Doobic Game Studios, is known in the English market for its earlier product, Combat Arms.

Finding Team A vs Team B getting stale in most shooters? Well, the unique part of Shadow Company will be having 4 different teams (Battle Squad mode) going against each other in the PvP maps. The 4 different outfits are shown below.


Shadow Company is developed using the Unreal 3 Engine, hence the graphics will be made as realistic as possible. The game will go into its first limited test phase in Korea from the 20th to 23rd later this month. with only those over the age of 15 able to register for entry. I was told the game will be reaching English shores sooner or later, but we shall see.


Posted by: admin in Gaming News
Find related article at: http://www.mmoculture.com/2011/10/shadow-company-kr-fatal-4-way.html

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