Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates


What If Shigeru Miyamoto Had Become a Manga Artist?

Posted: 23 May 2012 08:29 AM PDT

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1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF MAY 21 | WHAT IF?

What If Shigeru Miyamoto Had Become a Manga Artist?

Cover Story: A timeline from an alternative universe where gaming lacks input from one of its most prolific creators.

I

t's kind of a fascinating story really. Shigeru Miyamoto, maybe the most influential designer ever, had little interest in videogames until the late 1970s, when he played Space Invaders. Up until that point, he had wanted to be a manga artist. Well, what if he had followed his original dream and done just that? What would have happened to Nintendo? Or videogames in general? Here's one possible timeline.

1979 -- Miyamoto the Manga Artist: Shigeru Miyamoto graduates from the Kanazawa Munici College of Industrial Arts and Crafts. Because Miyamoto's father is a friend of Hiroshi Yamauchi, he soon receives an offer to work for Nintendo. But Miyamoto is something of a free spirit, and he has little interest in videogames. He decides instead to pursue a career as as manga artist.

Miyamoto Spot Art

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Blackshot MMO Review

Posted: 23 May 2012 04:01 AM PDT

Blackshot is a fast paced 3D tactical MMOFPS game. The game is set somewhere in the year 2033 after an apocalyptic nuclear war besieged the entire world. Like other MMOFPS games, gamers can play online in numerous game modes and maps. Defeat enemies, earn money and reach the game's highest rank of 'Commander in Chief'.

 

 

 

Publisher: TwoWar
Playerbase: Medium
Graphics: Medium Quality
Type: MMO
EXP Rate: Medium
PvP: N/A
Filesize: 750 MB Installer

Website: http://www2.twowar.com/index.asp

Pros: +Excellent ranking system [Plenty of Ranks]. +Interesting 'Tactic' skills. +Four genuinely different game modes.

Cons: -Very few maps. -Very few weapons. -No character customization.

 

Black Shot is TwoWar's very own 3D Tactical MMOFPS. It seems like every single big MMO publisher wants to have their very own tactical MMOFPS game these days, but unfortunately even though there are many of these tactical shooter games, they're all far too similar. The game features several interesting features, such as its cooperative PvE game mode as well as its skill system, but those that have played Nexon's Combat Arms, Aeria's WolfTeam or any other MMOFPS shouldn't be too impressed with BlackShot, as the game doesn't bring anything too new to the table.

 

 

Blackshot Requirements

Minimum Requirements:
OS: Windows  XP / Vista
CPU: 2 GHz Pentium 4 or better.
RAM: 512 MB
HDD: 2 GB Free
Graphics Card: Nvidia Geforce FX 5700 / ATI Radeon 9550

Recommended Specifications:
OS: Windows XP / Vista
CPU: 3 GHz Pentium 4
RAM: 1024 MB (1GB)
HDD: 2 GB Free
Graphics Card: Nvidia Geforce 5700 / ATI Radeon 9550

 

 

Firefall – Level system removed for good

Posted: 22 May 2012 07:22 PM PDT


[Game website] In the latest developer diary, it was announced that the level system in Red 5 Studio's Firefall will officially be discarded. This is apparently to accommodate a "much more organic system for player growth". Experience points now earned will be directed towards upgrading other aspects of the character at the players' discretion.


So, my personal opinion on this. While I know majority of the gamers will want to see the level system turned off for most MMOs due to grinding, I will seriously have to veto against this. How many of the gamers actually tried a MMO without a level system and enjoyed it?

After years of "grinding" in online games myself, the gradual step I hoped to see is the step of making the "grind" enjoyable, not just throwing the whole system out. It just makes me think the developers are using the easy way out. Leveling characters give players a sense of achievement, whether you like it or not. Once again, this is just my personal opinion, feel free to sound out against it.

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Big City Racer MMO Review

Posted: 22 May 2012 04:03 PM PDT

Big City Racer is a 3D racing MMO where players can race around various European cities. Play on different weather settings, race against other players or train in single player mode. Big City Racer is a an easily accessible MMO with simple keyboard controls.

 

 

Publisher: Vanilla Live Games
Playerbase: Low
Graphics: Medium
Type: MMO
EXP Rate: N/A
PvP: N/A
Filesize: 340 mb

Website: http://www.bigcityracer.com/

Pros: +Three weather conditions for each track. +Round and Sprint version available for each map. +Small download, easy to get started.

Cons: -Very low player base, difficulty to find a game. -Dated graphics. -Poor crash and overall physics effects. -Only 4 maps.

 

Big City Racer is a simple racing game published by a European studio. The game doesn't have the same depth as Need for Speed World Online or Heat Online, but offers simple gameplay and has low system requirements. Players can race across the cities of Europe with up to eight participants per match. While the total number of maps is sparse, Big City Racer allows each one to be played under three weather settings. Each track also comes in two forms. The standard lap based game mode is the most common, but players can play sprint mode where cars must race from one end of the track to the other. Big City Racer has an assortment of cars for purchase and players can customize them using decals, rims, windows, and neon lights.

Tracks - Vienna, Paris, London, Berlin

Weather - Sunny, Rainy, Sunset

 

 

 

Beach Volleyball Online MMO Review

Posted: 22 May 2012 04:02 PM PDT

Beach Volleyball Online is a 3D Volleyball themed sports MMO with some emphasis on social interaction. The game mixes virtual world social elements with intense volleyball gameplay elements and offers some solid graphics.

 

 

Publisher: Omniverse Games
Playerbase: Low
Graphics: High Quality
Type: MMO
EXP Rate: Medium
PvP: N/A
Filesize: ~300 MB

Website: http://www.bvogame.com/

Pros: +First volleyball themed MMO. +Plenty of  items in the game's store. +Spectators can bet on the outcome of a game.

Cons: -Few game modes. -Some latency issues.  -Dull gameplay. -Poor English translations. -Game prone to crashing / bugging out.

 

Beach Volleyball Online is the first volleyabll themed MMO out there! It's published by Omniverse Games and offers a unique blend of actual gameplay and social elements – sort of like Snail Game's ShowUp. Like any other beach themed volleyball game, Beach Volleyball Online, as expected, has gorgeous female character models! After all, what's a beach volleyball themed game without hot chicks?

Beach Volleyball Online offers various modes of play with a maximum of six players on the court at once. One of the more interesting game modes is the Audience Better Mode which, as the name implies, allows spectators to place bets on the outcome of the game. Players are rewarded with experience and money based on their performance in each match. While off the court, players are encouraged to explore the 'virtual world' elements of the game while also socializing and making friends. Upon making a character, players must choose from one of the three playable classes, which are:

Offensive – They have high "Spiking and Strength" stats but weaker "Setting and Receiving" stats. They are the primary offensive class in Beach Volleyaball Online and should play aggressively.

Defensive – They have high "Setting and Receiving" stats but weaker "Spiking and Strength" stats. They are great for assisting.

Strategic - They are basically a combination of the offensive and defensive classes. They are capable in all aspects of the game, but not particularly strong in any one attribute.

 

Beach Volleyball Online System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:
OS: Windows XP/ 2000 / 98 / Vista
CPU: 1.5 GHz Intel P4 or equivalent
RAM: 512 MB RAM
HDD: 2.5 GB Free
Graphics Card: Direct x 9 Compatible VGA card

Recommended Specification:
OS: Windows XP/ Vista
CPU: 2.4 Ghz Intel P4 or equivalent
RAM: 1024 MB (1GB)  RAM
HDD: 2.5 GB Free
Graphics Card: Direct x 9 Compatible VGA card

Does One Award Warrant a Game of the Year Edition for Dead Island?

Posted: 22 May 2012 03:19 PM PDT

Dead Island

Dead Island is set to be re-released in a Game of the Year Edition package next month, a fact that is the source of some complaints. It's not so much that the game is being bundled with its DLC that is the problem; it's the labeling of the game as Game of the Year, a title which many feel it is not deserving of.

It is completely understandable why a publisher would want a game re-release to be positioned as a "Game of the Year Edition." That title carries with it a certain connotation of quality, that it was among the very best, if not the best, games released during the year it originally came out. Game of the Year Editions are commonly associated with the likes of Morrowind, Oblivion, Fallout 3, Red Dead Redemption, and other critically acclaimed games. There is a certain expectation that a GotY Edition consists of a terrific game and bonus content (be it downloadable content or expansion packs) that early adopters had to pay extra for, with all of this often coming at a sub-$60 price.

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What If the Cost of Games Continued to Rise Since the ’80s?

Posted: 22 May 2012 03:07 PM PDT

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1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF MAY 21 | WHAT IF?

What If the Cost of Games Continued to Rise Since the '80s?

Cover Story: A sad look at a hobby that became too damn expensive.

December 12, 1985

You'll never guess what I got for my birthday! I woke up this morning, walked into the living room, and saw Dad playing Nintendo in front of the TV! He was having trouble with the first level of Mario, so I sat down and helped him jump over the pits until we got to the flagpole at the end. After that, we brought out the Zapper and played Duck Hunt until dinner time. Mom got kinda mad at Dad for buying something so expensive, but he told her that my birthday only comes once a year.

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What If the 1993 Video Game Violence Hearings Resulted in Government Censorship?

Posted: 22 May 2012 01:30 PM PDT

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1UP COVER STORY

1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF MAY 21 | WHAT IF?

What If the 1993 Video Game Violence Hearings Resulted in Government Censorship?

Cover Story: Peer into a dark and twisted present we'll (thankfully) never know.

I

n late 1993, state senators and certified oldsters Joseph Lieberman and Herb Khol got a whiff of this whole "video games" thing and decided to use their unholy powers to investigate the issue. While our friends in Germany and Australia often find amazing games banned outright or plagued with hilariously conspicuous censorship, we Americans escaped with a barely perceptible slap on the wrists thanks to the efforts of testifying industry vets who actually knew the subject at hand. But one can only wonder what the '90s gaming landscape (and beyond) would have looked like if the iron fist of government oppression punched the living daylights out of our beloved hobby...

Funky Youngsters Pt. 1

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Defiance – The link between the MMO and TV

Posted: 22 May 2012 12:20 PM PDT


[Game website] I never really fully understood the concept of Trion Worlds' upcoming online shooter, Defiance, but after watching this new video, I really got a 100% clearer picture of the whole project. After being hugely successful with RIFT, developer Trion has teamed up with American TV channel, SyFy, to develop a MMO and TV series based on Defiance's storyline.


As mentioned in the video, whatever happens to the online game world, it will affect the direction of the TV series, and of course vice versa. I am intrigued to see how this worked out in the long long, but seeing Bill Murray's daughter in the cast made me even more interested *___* She was quite the charmer in another UK TV series, Hustle. Before I forget, Defiance will be on the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.


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Book Review: Exploring Video Gaming’s Near-Death with "1983"

Posted: 22 May 2012 12:18 PM PDT

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1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF MAY 21 | WHAT IF?

Book Review: Exploring Video Gaming's Near-Death with "1983"

Cover Story: Thirty years ago, video games almost died. We examine the possibilities.

W

ith his latest book, 1983, game journalist and historian Chris Kohler has chosen to take a slightly different tack then he employed for his massive treatise Power Up: How America Gave Video Games an Extra Life a few years back. Rather than approaching the topic of video games from a wide-ranging, all-inclusive perspective, Kohler instead drills down here into a single crucial moment in time for the young medium: The near-crash of the industry in year 1983.

Despite the Orwellian overtones of the title Kohler has selected for his work, there's nothing ominous about the story contained herein -- perhaps, except, the idea that video gaming could have been snuffed out entirely a mere decade after Pong's debut. A combination of gold-rush greed, incompetence, and '80s corporate culture nearly suffocated the fledging entertainment medium just as it was hitting its stride. The Warner corporation's eagerness to cash in on their purchase of Atari, combined with the influx of low-quality, externally developed 2600 games after Activision broke away to become the first third-party developer, nearly buried the industry beneath a deluge of self-cannibalizing mediocrity.

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