General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


FBI Preparing to Shut Down Temporary DNS Servers, Kill Unknown Number of Internet Connections

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 02:52 PM PST

fbiThe FBI is currently scheduled to take several temporary DNS servers offline on March 8th; an action that could result in the disconnection of millions of Internet users. This dilemma stems from a nasty trojan that was circulating back in 2011 called DNSChanger. This bug was used to alter a user's DNS settings, and law enforcement used temporary DNS servers to give everyone time to fix the problem. Experts fear that many systems are still infected, and risk failure on March 8th.

DNSChanger used the modified DNS server settings to route users to malicious (and possibly illegal) domains instead of the ones they intended to visit. The feds worked with Estonian authorities to apprehend the creators of DNSChnager, but that left millions of computers still infected. The fix was to set up a few DNS servers to intercept the traffic from these systems and keep the data flowing. Now that the servers are due to be taken offline, some people might suddenly have busted connections.

DNSChanger was a surprisingly widespread infection that wormed its way into half of all Fortune 500 companies and nearly that proportion of government agencies. There is still a chance that the FBI will be allowed to leave the servers in place a little longer, but no guarantees. Do you think DNSChanger will have one final laugh on March 8th?

Leaked Recording Industry Document Threatens Google Lawsuit

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 02:31 PM PST

jrThe recording industry has long been critical of Google's handling of its search results, and several months ago, the RIAA and IFPI accused Google of profiting from piracy, and throwing up roadblocks to prevent copyright holders from removing infringing material. According to a leaked document, this war of words might be headed to court soon. Industry groups have obtained confidential legal opinions on the viability of a lawsuit against Google.

For its part, Google has always said it is only indexing the Internet as it exists. To proactively weed out everything that could be copyright infringing would break search and be nearly impossible anyway. The document details the ways Google has been cooperating with the industry, including providing a batch search interface to assist in tracking down infringing sites, and compliance in shutting down a number of Blogger sites hosting copyrighted content. The legal document claims that is not enough. 

A lawsuit would seek to force Google to stop providing links to pirate websites in search results. The RIAA and IFPI would essentially be arguing on antitrust grounds that Google's market position should require it to censor its search results. If the case is filed as explained in the document, it would be truly unprecedented. 

Lego Minecraft Micro World Available For Preorder

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:45 AM PST

Can you tell we're pumped about Minecraft-themed Legos? We've been anxiously following their development, breathlessly reporting when the petition to create the set passed the needed 10,000 signature mark -- and when the project got the official green light. Lego and Mojang must be pumped about the Minecraft Micro World, too; in less than a month, the set has flown through the design process and is headed to the production line. In fact, Lego started selling preorders for the set yesterday.

Just because you're able to preorder the set through Jinx today won't mean Minecraft Micro World will show up on your doorstep tomorrow, though; the $35, 480-piece kit isn't due to ship until the nebulous "summer 2012." How about a description from the product page?

Help Steve survive his first night in a strange new world. Avoid the creeper and start mining for resources that will help you survive and thrive. Configure your four micro-scale LEGO Minecraft modules any way you like. Build your own mines and hills, and expand your world with multiple sets. Includes four LEGO Minecraft modules, hidden resources, extra pieces for wood, dirt, and stone, two "Micro Mobs;" Steve and a creeper.

"The surface of the modules comes off to reveal mines and hidden resources beneath," the Lego CUUSOO team said on its blog. Check out the blog post for more details about the design process, or just drool over the picture above like we did.

iFixIt Performs a PlayStation Vita Autopsy

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:10 AM PST

The electronic surgeons at iFixIt point out that they don't break gadgets, they tear them apart. We love when they do, because then we can spy the innards of expensive tech gear laid bare without ruining our own equipment, allowing us to live vicariously through their teardowns. This week iFixIt took apart Sony's new PlayStation Vita handheld console, which turned out to be surprisingly easy to service.

It didn't take much for iFixIt to crack open the PS Vita and expose the four-core ARM Cortex A9 processor, SGX543MP4+ GPU, 512MB of RAM, and other internal tech organs. After taking everything apart, iFixIt gave the PS Vita a score of 8 out of 10 on its repairability score. Reasons that led to the high score include the use of only Phillips #00 screws (no security or proprietary bits), a modular design that equates to lower repair costs since parts can be replaced individually, and the fact that Sony used only a conservative amount of adhesive.

Follow the teardown pic by pic right here.

Razer Unveils Mass Effect 3-Branded Peripherals

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:06 AM PST

Oh man, is it March 6th yet? BioWare teased us with a taste of old friends on Valentine's Day -- Krogans and Turians and Reapers, oh my! -- but the official launch of Mass Effect 3 is still weeks away. At least we'll have some cool ME3 peripherals to gaze at between now and then, thanks to the newly unveiled Mass Effect 3 gear lineup by the folks over at Razer. They do more than just look pretty, too: Razer promises each piece of hardware will unlock an "exclusive in-game bonus."

The only bonus mentioned in Razer's announcement is a Collector assault rifle, but the company doesn't say which specific peripheral will be bundled with it. All types of peripherals are available with a fresh coat of ME3 paint, too, including an Imperator mouse, a BlackWidow Ultimate keyboard, a sleek-looking Onza Tournament Edition gamepad, and a Chimaera 5.1 headset. A few non-electrical accessories are available too: a ME3-branded Vespula mouse pad, a protective case for the iPhone 4, and a messenger bag sporting the N7 logo.

Check them out or preorder the gear over at Razer's Mass Effect 3 page. No news on the shipping date, although it would almost assuredly have to be before March 6. Now, pardon us while we replay the Suicide Run on the Collector ship with our cut-throat female biotic.

Hulu Plus Now Available on the Nintendo Wii

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 09:53 AM PST

Hulu Plus found a new way to be streamed into your living room. Nintendo today announced it has teamed up with the streaming video service so that Wii owners can now subscribe to and access Hulu Plus for $8/month and instantly stream popular TV shows like Family Guy, Glee, The Office, Modern Family, and more, as well as hundreds of movies, on their Wii console.

"Wii offers the most entertainment fun for everyone in the family, with an impressive selection of streaming movies and TV shows in addition to an unparalleled lineup of games that can't be played anywhere else," said Tony Elison, Nintendo of America's senior director and general manager of Network Business. "The Wii console is the hub of the living room, and with the addition of Hulu Plus, millions of households now have even more options for streaming premium TV shows and movies."

Wii owners with a broadband Internet connection can access Hulu Plus by visiting the Wii Shop Channel and downloading the Hulu Plus app. Users who don't already have a Hulu Plus account will be eligible for a two-week free trial.

Nintendo also announced that Hulu Plus will be coming to the 3DS handheld console sometime later this year.

Mass Shipments of Intel's Ivy Bridge Reportedly Delayed Until Summer

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 09:38 AM PST

It's looking as though Intel's initial Ivy Bridge roll out might end being mostly a paper launch with just a small volume of processors being made available in early April. If that's the case, you can expect what little stock is put out there to sell out quick, possibly at inflated prices, especially in the second-hand market (places like eBay and Craigslist, for example).

DigiTimes claims to have heard from its sources that Intel won't begin mass shipping Ivy Bridge processors until sometime after June, and supposedly the Santa Clara chip maker has already made its hardware partners aware of this.

Even more frustrating is that this is reportedly an intentional delay. DigiTimes says notebook vendors are having trouble clearing their existing stock of Sandy Bridge notebooks, while Intel has a surplus of Sandy Bridge chips it wants to unload. So, the decision was made to delay Ivy Bridge, at least in full force, to minimize the impact.

Image Credit: Lenzfire

Maingear Now Makes an 'Epic' Thermal Paste

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 08:56 AM PST

It hasn't even been a full month since we ran our massive thermal paste roundup in which we tested 17 premium tubes of goo to find out if your choice of paste makes a lick of difference (it does), and wouldn't you know it, there's a brand new thermal paste that enters the fray today. It's from Maingear, the boutique system builder based in New Jersey, and it's supposedly up to three times better than the best silver-filled greases.

Maingear describes its new Epic T1000 thermal paste as an ultra-performing phase change metal alloy thermal interface material (TIM) with high bulk conductivity.

"The Epic T1000 is unmatched by any other materials except solders, and unlike solders, the Epic T1000 can be used between materials without matching Coefficients of Thermal Expansion (CTEs) such as between silicon dies and metal heat sinks," Maingear explains. "With the big reduction in thermal resistance EPIC T1000 provides, the demands on heat sinks and fans are relaxed, leading to many desirable results: decreased costs, quieter operation, and form-factor reductions."

Maingear says its Epic T1000 paste allows you to reach maximum thermal conductivity with zero cure time, so you can slap it on your CPU and start overclocking like a banshee right off the bat.

Installation is a bit different than with your average thermal paste. There's a liner that needs to be installed on your CPU, along with a re-flow process, all of which LegitReviews detailed in a nifty YouTube video here.

The Maingear Epic T1000 kit comes with a pair of Nitrile gloves, a bottle of cleaning solution, two lint-free wipes, a three-page instruction manual, and two CPU specific installation liners. Prices are as follows:

  • Intel socket 1155/1155: $20
  • Intel socket 2011: $30
  • AMD -- all open lid: $20

Image Credit: Maingear

Twitter Admits Plucking Contacts from Smartphones, Promises Better Transparency

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 08:26 AM PST

Do you use Twitter's "Find Friends" feature on your Android smartphone or iPhone device? If so, you may have been agreeing to more than you bargained for. Privacy advocates are up in arms after it was discovered that Twitter has been harvesting address books from smartphones that use this feature, in many cases without proper disclosure or the user's explicit permission.

Twitter acknowledged this was the case and said it would update its app to be more clear about user contacts being transmitted and stored, the L.A. Times reports.

"We want to be clear and transparent in our communications with users," Twitter told the L.A. Times in an email. "Along those lines, in our next app updates, which are coming soon, we are updating the language associated with Find Friends -- to be more explicit."

Two members of Congress, G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) and Henry Waxman (D-Calif) took it a step further and wrote a letter to Apple asking why it allows such data mining on its iPhone when it runs afoul of developer guidelines. Apple acknowledged that apps that do this are, in fact, "in violation of our guidelines," and claims it wasn't aware this was going on.

Nvidia's Annual Revenue Up 12.8 Percent, Falls Short of Estimates

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 07:46 AM PST

Nvidia's fourth quarter financial results were a bit of a mixed bag, and despite reporting revenue growth for the company's full fiscal year, investors reacted negatively to Nvidia's outlook for the first fiscal quarter of 2013. First things first -- the GPU maker reported revenue of $4 billion for the fourth quarter of 2011, up 12.8 percent from $3.54 billion in fiscal 2011, but down 10.6 percent from the previous quarter.

In a prepared statement, Nvidia president and chief executive officer, Jen-Hsun Huang, said he was happy with how things were going and where the company stands.

"I am pleased with our achievements last year. Our GPU business grew sharply. And, with the success of Tegra, we established our position in the mobile market," Huang said. "We expect continued growth ahead, as Tegra 3 powers a new wave of quad-core super phones and Kepler, our next-generation GPU architecture, sets new standards in visual and parallel computing."

Investors, however, weren't as optimistic after Nvidia said revenue in the first quarter of 2013 is expected to be between $900 million and $930 million. Analysts who responded to a Bloomberg survey had estimated $940.4 million on average, which might explain why shares of Nvidia fell 4.4 percent to $15.46 early this morning. According to Bloomberg, it was the biggest intraday decline since October 20, 2011, and the third biggest drop on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index today. At the time of this writing, shares of Nvidia are trading at $15.78.

MMO News

MMO News


Tactical Intervention Gains New Publisher

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 03:59 PM PST

Tactical Intervention announced today that OGPlanet will be publishing the game this Spring.

Tactical Intervention is led by Minh “Gooseman” Le, creator of Counter-Strike.  The game promises many innovations, most notably with vehicle missions and team focus.  Players will have more to do in the game, such as calling attack dogs, rappelling and shooting out of the windows of a moving vehicle.

Closed beta testing will begin in March.

OGPlanet also publishes Lost Saga and SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online.

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Tactical Intervention Gameplay Screenshot

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Legendary FPS Game Designer, Minh “Gooseman” Le, Makes Much-Anticipated Return with Tactical Intervention

OGPlanet to Publish the Free-to-Play Hardcore FPS in North America This Spring

Torrance, Calif.-February 16, 2011-
OGPlanet, an innovative provider of Free-to-Play, multiplayer, online games, announced today it will be publishing the new tactical, team-based, first-person shooter, Tactical Intervention, developed by FIX Korea, in spring 2012.  Tactical Intervention marks the return of one of gaming’s most legendary creators, Minh “Gooseman” Le. Le co-created the iconic and legendary first-person shooter (FPS), Counter-Strike, which is arguably the origin of the modern, military, tactical, team-based FPS genre.

“I’m excited to share my latest project with my fellow gamers,” said Le, lead developer on Tactical Intervention. “As my latest tactical team-based shooter, Tactical Intervention builds off of what I tried to accomplish with Counter-Strike. I think players will be excited about the innovations we’ve implemented in the game, especially the vehicle missions and new team focus.”

“Partnering with OGPlanet has allowed us to release Tactical Intervention as a Free-to-Play title, ensuring that the game is accessible to all players. We’ve got a lot of great content ready for launch, and there will be regular updates with new guns, maps, and more.”

With more focus placed on team-based tactics and hardcore, fast-paced gameplay, Tactical Intervention goes far deeper than the everyday FPS. Packed with new environments, game modes, weapons, equipment customization options, and more, Tactical Intervention sets a new benchmark in the evolution of the tactical team-based FPS genre. Players will get behind the driver’s seat, shoot hanging out of vehicle passenger windows, call in attack dogs, and even make use of tactical rappel ropes to gain the upper hand on the opposing force. They will also have to be conscious of civilians who can be taken as hostages and used as human shields. It is up to you and your team to strategize, execute, and eliminate your target!

Players can apply to join Tactical Intervention’s Closed-Beta Test, which will be held in early March, at   www.tactical-intervention.com. For up to the minute news, events, contests, and giveaways, please visit (and ‘Like’) the official Tactical Intervention Facebook Page at  www.facebook.com/tacticalintervention. Follow Gooseman on Twitter  www.twitter.com/GoosemanTI

Jagged Alliance Online open beta officially launches

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 03:48 PM PST

gamigo announced that open beta for Jagged Alliance Online officially opened today.  The publisher extended a hearty thanks to all testers for the feedback they received in closed beta.

There are also some changes implemented with the arrival of open beta.  Defeated opponents now drop loot that your mercenaries can collect.  The explosion radius of barrels and crates can now be seen when aiming at them as well.  Aiming at an opponent will show you where they are most vulnerable.

gamigo also publishes Black Prophecy and King of Kings 3.

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Jagged Alliance Online Gameplay Screenshot

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Jagged Alliance Online opens its gates for all beta testers!

Hamburg, February 16, 2012 – Jagged Alliance Online, the next part of the legendary turn-based strategy series with a full-fledged multi-player mode, is leaving closed beta testing today. The game’s publisher, gamigo, would like to thank all the testers for the feedback and is now inviting all players to to experience the quality of the thrilling PvE missions and PvP matches first-hand during the open testing phase.

The advent of open beta testing will also bring a number of new features to the game: Defeated opponents now drop loot that can be collected by the mercenaries during the mission. When a player aims at an explosive barrel or crate, the explosion radius will be shown, making it easier to judge to results of one's actions. Aiming at an opponent will now show which direction he is most vulnerable from.

Ice Inferno Course Revealed For Pangya

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 03:41 PM PST

Pangya has released a new, ice themed map called Ice Inferno.  Players must tee off against unforgiving obstacles and devious ice creatures in order to succeed.

In addition to the course, Pangya’s 18th, SG Interactive is also offering several limited time items.  Players may dress up in the Dark Lord set, which is ice themed, and can earn the Executioner’s Club Set to match.  Kooh’s Birthday Gift Box contain special, past outfits, including some rare items.  Finally, in Kooh’s Birthday Event, players can win one of ten items through various missions.

SG Interactive also publishes Grand Chase and Trickster Online.

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Pangya Gameplay Screenshot

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Pangya United Braces for New Ice Inferno Map

Four-star Difficulty Course Introduces Players to Evil Creatures and Insane Challenges

Irvine, Calif.Feb. 16, 2012Pangya United is going ice cold with the game’s newest course, “Ice Inferno.” SG Interactive is putting Pangya players to the ultimate test with the course’s new layout, filled with conniving ice monsters and brutal obstacles. Starting today, seasoned pros and novice duffers alike can take on the challenges of Pangya‘s 18th course by registering for free at the official Pangya site.

The new Ice Inferno course is hidden in the mountainous regions of Pangya Island, north of Deep Inferno. The frozen wasteland is so cold, it freezes the very breath of all those daring to enter, and it’s this very site that Pangya’s Demon King has chosen to make his resurrection. The residents of Pangya must band together in order to stop the Demon King once and for all.

To help players and to celebrate the launch of the new Ice Inferno course, SG Interactive is offering the following for a limited two weeks:

  • The Dark Lord Set – Players can deck their characters with Ice Inferno-themed Dark Lord Sets and for the full effect, acquire the Executioner’s Club Set to match
  • Kooh’s Birthday Gift Box – These boxes contain special Kooh outfits from the past, including rare items such as the Punky Waitress Set or the Magical Costume Set.
  • Kooh’s Birthday Event – Players can win up to ten different prizes by completing various missions.

In addition, on Feb. 24, starting at 3 p.m. PST, players will have the chance to put all their practice and skills to use in the Pangya Global Cup #4 tournament, held exclusively on the Ice Inferno course. All participants and winners will be rewarded with a range of exceptional prizes. For the tournament schedule and reward details, visithttp://pangya.gamerage.com/globalcup.

Pangya United is a free-to-play, anime-style, casual online multiplayer golf game, providing seven different modes: Versus, Tournament, Battle, Ghost, Shuffle, Approach and Family mode. For more information and to play the game, visit http://pangya.gamerage.com.

Forsaken World: Nightfall Details

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 03:05 PM PST

Perfect World has announced details about the upcoming expansion to Forsaken World: Nightfall.

Players will be able to experience a brand new flight system.  With flight comes new bosses, dungeons and events specifically designed with flying in mind.  A sky fortress has been shown, as well as many new places to discover.

The Immortal Rift is also being redesigned in the expansion.  Guilds may now claim territory, and must defend it, or seek new territories by attacking other guilds.

Perfect World also publishes Perfect World International and War of the Immortals.

Forsaken World: Nightfall Teaser Trailer

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Experience Forsaken World like never have before! The brand new flying system will take players through the skies of Eyrda with new bosses, dungeons, and events designed specifically for flying. A new fortress in the sky has emerged along with new, unexplored areas. Be the first to experience the exciting new quests and monsters that roam the land. The Immortal Rift is being revamped into an all-out land conquering system. Attack and defend against other guilds to claim a territory within Eyrda.

These are just some of the new features that are coming with Nightfall! Stay tuned for more information!

Kabam Partners with Kongregate

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 02:58 PM PST

Kabam announced today that it will be partnering with Kongregate to bring its free-to-play games to a wider audience.

With over 16 million unique visitors per month, Kongregate provides Kabam a much larger audience for its browser-based MMOs.  Dragons of Atlantis is already live, while Godfather: Five Families and Thirst of Night will be added in the upcoming weeks.  Kabam also has a unique opportunity to reach more customers through Gamestop, Kongregate’s parent company.

Kabam also publishes Kingdoms of Camelot and Edgeworld.

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Godfather: Five Families Gameplay Screenshot

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KABAM Partners with Kongregate to Bring Free-to-Play core games to avid Gamers

Leading Developer of Hardcore Social Games Launching Three Titles on

Kongregate Gaming Portal, Starting with Dragons of Atlantis

REDWOOD CITY – February 16, 2012 – Kabam™, the leading developer of hardcore social games, today announced it has partnered with Kongregate, the leading destination for free browser-based games with nearly 16 million monthly unique visitors, to bring multiple Kabam massively multiplayer titles to Kongregate's popular portal. Dragons of Atlantis, Kabam's hit dragon-based strategy game, is already live on Kongregate with additional title launches planned. The agreement provides Kabam with a new channel for reaching core gamers while giving the Kongregate community access to a selection of top Kabam social games.

Dragons of Atlantis transports players to the lost world of Atlantis to raise an army of dragons and build a powerful empire using the mysterious powers of the Ancient Ones. Like all Kabam games, Dragons of Atlantis combines elements of MMO-style play with the connectivity and interaction of social gameplay.

"Kongregate is a great addition to our rapidly expanding mix of distribution partners," said Chris Carvalho, Chief Operating Officer of Kabam. "Kabam games provide the immersive and feature-rich experience Kongregate's audience of dedicated gamers seek, and this partnership allows us to expand on our multi-platform distribution approach and reach millions of additional core gamers. Additionally Kongregate's parent company GameStop provides us the potential to explore other unique avenues of promotion and distribution for our games."

Kabam will be using a new, internally created technology framework called Pyramid™ to facilitate multi-platform integration and distribution for its games with partners like Kongregate. Additional Kabam titles slated for launch on Kongregate in coming weeks include The Godfather: Five Families and Thirst of Night. The Godfather: Five Families is an online multiplayer game is set in the Prohibition Era preceding the films, with players and crime families battling for money, power, and respect. Thirst of Night, a new Kabam title, is a massively multiplayer online strategy game that transports players to a dark world where vampires are building a new empire in the ashes of human civilization.

"Our community of nearly 16 million hardcore gamers are looking forward to experiencing Kabam's style of games on their home turf," said Emily Greer, Co-Founder and COO of Kongregate. "Kongregate provides a first-class platform for titles like Dragons of Atlantis that provide a deeper, immersive experience with the convenience of browser-based gameplay." Emily also noted that GameStop, Kongregate's parent company, gives Kabam access to potentially millions of more gamers both online and off.

Terms of the distribution agreement were not disclosed. For more information on Kabam, visit our official site at www.kabam.com, and also our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kabam.

Lime Odyssey Reveals the Turga

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 02:46 PM PST

Aeria Games has released new information and assets about the Turga race in the upcoming MMORPG Lime Odyssey.

The Turga bear a lion-like look, and live in a northern meadow living a peaceful, yet savage, lifestyle. They hold discipline, honor, and willpower in great value. In their starting area of West Tumbara Plain, in Karakunta, the Turga will face their enemies the Keigers and enter the depths of Talunvara Canyon.

The vast continent of Orta is home to a diverse collection of races and tribes. Players can choose from a variety of customization options to design their ideal character – create a bold young Human thief, a battle-hardened Turga, or a diminutive Muris – the choice is theirs! Each race begins their quest in a unique starting location.

MMOHut has some of the new screenshots to show off to players interested in the game.  Lime Odyssey is set to release later in 2012.

Lime Odyssey will have three playable races and four classes to choose from.  Players will also have the ability to choose from many different professions, such as becoming a Tailor, Chef or Blacksmith.  The music in Lime Odyssey is also being done by legendary game music composer Yasunori Mitsuda, responsible for classics like Chrono Trigger and Xenosaga.

Aeria Games also publishes Shaiya and Last Chaos.

Lime Odyssey Turga Screenshots:

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Aeria Games Spotlights the Turga Race for Lime Odyssey: The Chronicles of Orta

New Cinematic Featuring the Turga Race Has Been Revealed for Highly Anticipated Free-to-Play 3D MMORPG

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Feb. 16, 2012 – Aeria Games, a leading global publisher of free-to-play online games, today revealed the opening cinematic for the Turga race, one of the three playable races in Lime Odyssey: The Chronicles of Orta, its highly-anticipated 3D massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). Lime Odyssey is currently in production and will be published in North America by Aeria Games in 2012.

The Turga in Lime Odyssey live in a meadow in the north of the continent and have a distinct lion-like appearance. Simple and honest as they are, with deep faith and brute strength they intend to be born again as a supreme ruler of the meadow. Since ancient times the savage Turgas ruled the Tumbara Plain and have lived their lives in battle. From childhood, little Turga mimicked the battle games of the adults with wooden weapons – their uncomplicated lives centered on discipline, honor, and willpower.

Competing to claim the Turgas' homeland, the Keigers have instigated vicious wars and caused the loss of countless Turga fighters, much of their honor and most of their land. During the third war, the Turgas mustered a final, heroic charge and managed to reclaim their capital, Karakunta, but at a great cost. When rumors of Lime began spreading, many saw opportunity in capturing this all-powerful fruit for their own means, to help reclaim the West Tumbara Plains.

The Turga begin their journey in the West Tumbara Plain of North Orta. Home to the Turga's primary trading hub of Karakunta, these barrenness plains are not for the weak of heart. Buried in the lofty mountains of this town lies the first dungeon, Talunvara Canyon, accessible to all players.

The vast continent of Orta is home to a diverse collection of races and tribes. Players can choose from a variety of customization options to design their ideal character – create a bold young Human thief, a battle-hardened Turga, or a diminutive Muris – the choice is theirs! Each race begins their quest in a unique starting location.

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

Carte reveals new assets

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 01:13 PM PST

GamesCampus has revealed a new set of assets for its upcoming online trading card game, Carte.

The website has been updated with new assets for players, some of which MMOHut has to share below. Carte will be entering beta later this month.

Carte will feature five factions, and players will be granted a beginner’s deck for all five nations when starting to help them choose their nation. From there, players can build a deck containing a hero and dozens of support, attack, and defense cards to battle for their nation. Carte is also designed to be user-friendly with a complex game design.

GamesCampus also publishes Heroes in the Sky and Scarlet Legacy.

New Carte Screenshots and Artwork:

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GAMESCAMPUS’ CARTE DEALS OUT EASY TO USE CARD MANAGER AND DECK SYSTEM

Sunnyvale, Calif. (February 16, 2012) - Do you hold the cards of destiny? Leading online game publisher, GamesCampus.com (www.GamesCampus.com) tipped their hand with new assets for their first global online trading card game, Carte, due to launch in North America early 2012.

GamesCampus’ website has been upgraded with additional screenshots, to give players another peek at this game-changing online TCG. Pre-registration is now open, and bonefide card carriers can dash over to http://carte.gamescampus.com and become among the first to experience all of the card-slinging action when Carte enters beta later this month.

Carte isn’t like any other online card game, and it’s not just for TCG fans!” said Chris Ahn, Head of Marketing at GamesCampus. “An easy to learn system, the game is geared for beginners and TCG enthusiasts alike which means no one is left behind while there’s plenty of challenge to discover too.”

Whether a member of The Iron Empire, slithering out of the Kingdom of Darkness, planting roots in the Kingdom of Nature, being a devotee in the Divine Empire, or casting a shroud over the Magician’s Association, the cards of Carte are your primary weapon. The right card at the right time in the right deck can mean the difference between crushing your opponent or scurrying away whimpering.

Carte’s user-friendly interface makes casting spells and attacking with creatures feel natural, and the in-depth tutorial will teach even the newest TCG players what they need to compete right from the start. Players are also given a beginner deck for each of the five colors to quickly get in game and learn which faction works best for them.

For veterans, Carte provides tons of card mechanics that can be used in fun and exciting ways to create combinations that may have never been thought of before. Intuitive game design means that Carte is easy to learn, with its intuitive game design, but difficult to master because of the vast breadth of abilities and combinations available.

Carte: Cogito Ergo Sumis a fast paced global online trading card game. Choose a Hero, build a deck and launch into exciting battles with fierce weapons and allies. Create and master endless strategies with an arsenal of spells and creatures to conquer your opponents. With an easy to learn system coupled with a user friendly interface, Carte is ready for new players as well as grizzled TCG veterans and everything in between.

For more information about GamesCampus.com or Carte, please visit www.carte.gamescampus.com

C9 announces PvP update and second VIP wave

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 11:57 AM PST

Webzen has announced the release of a second wave of invites to a list of VIP testers for its upcoming MMO, Continent of the Ninth Seal (C9).

The game has also revealed new PvP content, including the Intrusion and Arena systems. Intrusion allows players to intrude dungeons in use by other players and attempt to “take over” to earn the rights to the dungeon, as well as a token that can be exchanged for other rewards, while the Arena is the main competitive feature for C9′s players.

Webzen also publishes Archlord Online and Mu Online.

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Continent of the Ninth Seal Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

[WEBZEN] New VIP Testers Will Have the Chance For C9 PvP Action

WEBZEN Inc. (WWW.WEBZEN.COM), the Next Generation of Free-to-Play Online Games, announced the secondary invites for VIP testers and the PvP content update for their Unrivaled Action RPG, 'C9' (Continent of the Ninth Seal).

Today, WEBZEN invited their new VIP testers to meet the demands of many users. Although the VIP Test was originally designed as a limited test, a massive amount of users had applied; therefore requiring additional channels to be added. Still due to the continuous requests, WEBZEN decided to invite an additional 2,000 testers from the VIP wait list, those who were not so lucky the first time. Also, additional new testers were chosen from highly active users on C9's SNS sites, including the official C9 Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/C9Webzen).

With these secondary invitations, WEBZEN has updated the anticipated PVP contents which include the 'Intrusion' and 'Arena' system. The 'Intrusion' system allows users to intrude dungeons being played by other users. Whoever prevails will own the dungeon and receive a token that can be exchanged into valuable items. The 'Arena' holds C9's main competitive feature that new and previous VIP testers can enjoy.

Jihun Lee, Head of Global Publishing, said, "There has been a large amount of requests from users who hoped for participation, so we have decided to have a secondary invitation for VIP Testers." Also he said, "The VIP Tester's feedback and ideas will improve the localization of the game and encourage them to share their thoughts."

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

Perfect World International launches Descent

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:56 AM PST

Perfect World International has launched its latest expansion, Descent, bringing loads of new high level content tot he game.

Descent  introduces new storylines, quests, instances, and zones with the new land of Morai. Players will be able to obtain new sets of equipment that include two new attributes for PvE, join and fight for a specific Order in Morai, and master new class skills. All classes are getting a rebalance and retune of many older skills as well.

Perfect World is offering a sweepstakes for players who log in once per day for ten days between February 7 and 21, with prizes including a Barbarian Statuette, Logitech G19 gaming keyboard, and Logitech G400 gaming mouse.

Perfect World Entertainment also publishes Rusty Hearts and Forsaken World.

Perfect World International: Descent Launch Trailer

Source:

PERFECT WORLD INTERNATIONAL: DESCENT EXPANSION

NOW AVAILABLE TO PLAYERS WORLDWIDE

New Class Skills Significantly Changes Squad Dynamics In-Game

(Foster City, CA) February 14, 2011 — Perfect World Entertainment Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD), successfully launched today the fifth expansion for Perfect World International, its flagship MMORPG with millions of players worldwide. The new expansion titled Descent gives players a new angle in high-end PvP and introduces a whole array of brand new skills that will alter current skill balancing tactics and strategies for all ten character classes.

“The past year has been an exciting year of growth for Perfect World International, as we completed successful launches of the Genesis expansion, The Trials content update, and two new servers in Europe,” said Hao Lu, Product Manager for the internationally acclaimed title. “More so than any other previous expansions, the Descent expansion brings about changes that players have been patiently awaiting.”

As the name implies, players will journey from a realm of cloud-like floating islands into hostile territory in an attempt to repel the greatest threat that the Perfect World land has ever known. Additional features in Perfect World International: Descent includes:

• Explore New Zones

Teleport into the land of Morai, fight your way through dozens of new quests in dynamic locales, while engaging in new storylines, experiencing refreshing instance mechanics, and taking on spectacular bosses.

• Attain New Gear

Experience the exhilarating pursuit of the latest fearsome gear sets and witness the addition of two newly devised equipment attributes built around boosting PvE effectiveness.

• Join an Order

Ally yourself with one of three ideologically distinct Orders, which will not only reveal your heart’s intentions, but also determine the elite training and gear you’ll be working towards.

• Master New Class Skills

Game-changing, new high-end abilities have been created for all classes, and many existing abilities have been tweaked for balancing purposes.

In celebration of the Descent expansion, players can enter a sweepstakes to win one of two limited edition Perfect World International Barbarian Statuette, Logitech G19 gaming keyboard, and Logitech G400 gaming mouse (USD value of $250). Simply enter by logging into the game at least once per day for ten days between February 7th and February 21st.

For more information about the sweepstakes, visit http://pwi.perfectworld.com/news/?p=449131.

Additional information about Perfect World International’s latest expansion can be found at http://pwi.perfectworld.com/descent.

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates


From R.O.B. to Rhythm Heaven: The Legacy of Nintendo’s Most Subversive Studio

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 02:08 AM PST

Take one look at the recently released Rhythm Heaven Fever, and you’ll wonder if it’s actually a Nintendo game. This waggle-free two-button experience serves as a major contradiction to Nintendo’s Skyward Sword, which perfected the one-to-one motion controls we all wanted from Twilight Princess back in 2006. But, as fans of the series know, Rhythm Heaven’s reductive approach isn’t an intentional attempt to undermine Nintendo’s evolving motion technology; rather, this colorful, candy-coated musical rollercoaster evokes a philosophy pioneered by Research and Development 1, an internal studio which eventually stood as the iconoclast to their parent company. And even after a major 2005 restructuring dismantled RD1′s 35-year history of bizarre and fascinating experiments, the team’s quirky design sense lives on today with Software Planning and Development Group No. 1, a Nintendo studio now responsible for offbeat series like Rhythm Heaven and Wario Ware.

Simplicity isn’t the sole factor that separates RD1 from other internal Nintendo studios; their perception of games as toys transformed the industry, giving us everything from the Game Watch to the Game Boy to an army of plucky, malfunctioning Robotic Operating Buddies. Even Donkey Kong — in retrospect, one of their more traditional productions — stood in firm opposition to game design at the time; it featured a beginning-to-end narrative instead of an endless loop, and originated from the mind of an art student, not a team of whimsy-challenged engineers. And, strangely enough, Donkey Kong planted the seed for Entertainment Analysis and Development (EAD), an internal studio that would soon design some of Nintendo’s biggest, genre-defining hits, like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda.

RD1 paved the path for Nintendo’s console dominance, creating their early arcade hits and a majority of the “black box” NES titles; but after rewriting the grammar of gaming, this studio constantly innovated, leaving other teams to perfect the framework they established. Instead of iterating on the same ideas, RD1 focused on new ways to empower the player with simple (and often outdated) technology, leaving their mark on gaming history as a studio unafraid to marry fun and function.

From Toys to Game Boys

After nearly 70 years as a producer of playing cards, Nintendo tried out other ventures, eventually settling on toys. A young Gunpei Yokoi, later known as the father of the Game Boy, developed some of Nintendo’s earliest hits, including the Ultra Hand (later made the focus of its own WiiWare game), Ultra Machine, and Love Tester, each designed to utilize simple technology in fun, new ways. The Ultra Hand doesn’t differ much from the grip-and-grab devices designed to help our friends with disabilities, while the Ultra Machine and Love Tester use simple (and cheap) mechanisms for their own assigned tasks — namely, pitching balls and determining romantic compatibility (regardless of the questionable results). Using inexpensive and established technology allowed Nintendo to thrive in the toy industry, all while giving these products their own signature character.

This philosophy would later be seen in Nintendo’s Game Watch series, which built games around the LCD technology seen in digital watches, while providing a clock and alarm as well — form and function. The foldable, dual-screen design of later GW games provided more complex experiences, while retaining the important portability of the device — a concept seen decades down the road with Nintendo’s DS and 3DS. 1989′s revelatory Game Boy tapped into the thoroughly explored power of the Z80 processor (already seen in a number of arcade units and home consoles), rather than improve on the power of the NES; the system’s four shades of green couldn’t compare with the visual possibilities of Nintendo’s home console, so its games were designed with these limitations in mind. While the Genesis seemed poised to dethrone Nintendo, Tetris, the Game Boy’s original pack-in, proved that games didn’t necessarily have to be graphically or mechanically complex to draw in an audience — an important lesson during the first salvos of the console wars. Other launch titles like Baseball, Alleyway, and Super Mario Land paled in comparison to their console competitors, but the on-the-go functionality (and novelty) of the Game Boy made up for these games’ shortcomings.


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NCsoft buys over Pangya and Trickster developer

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 02:08 AM PST


Earlier today in the financial call, NCsoft confirmed the purchase of 76% shares of Korean developer Ntreev. The deal is reportedly worth a cool USD 96.7 million. Ntreev is well-known in the English market for titles including Trickster and Pangya, and more recently is own English MMO portal, GameRage (link). 1 of the company’s most recent casual games include Alicia (link) as well, but what is the reason for NCsoft buying the company?

Well, casual gaming is one thing which NCsoft obvisouly failed terribly over the past few years (Dragonica Korea, Exteel etc), with the recent closure of Punch Monster (a MapleStory/ Grand Chase hybrid) as proof. Another core reason the takeover happened is due to Ntreev’s experience in developing Baseball Manager Online (below), which is a top earning game in Korea with sales hitting over USD 2.5 million on the record month.


NCsoft recently formed the 13th team (NC Dinos) in the professional Korean baseball league (link), hence there are links here as well. Ntreev has got deep ties with Japanese gaming company SEGA as well due to various baseball games collaborations, and NCsoft will not have a chance to deepen the working relationship. Ntreev is also an established online games publisher in Korea, with the most recent titles captured being Heroes of Newerth (HoN) and Age of Wulin Korea (link). To add on, Ntreev is also developing Power Rangers Online (link).

All in all, a big year ahead for NCsoft with Blade Soul confirmed to begin commercial service before mid 2012 later this year, and Guild Wars 2 confirmed to launch before the year ends. Good times indeed for NCsoft, definitely.


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Perfect World announces War of the Immortals

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 01:26 AM PST


(Closed Beta signup) Previously known as Battle of the Immortals II and Empire of the Immortals (link), the 2nd game in Perfect World’s Immortals series is set to launch in North America next month, with Closed Beta beginning on 25th October. Not exactly a sequel to Battle of the Immortals, Perfect World decided to make a 2nd game as both titles are supposedly vastly different and unable to make this into just an update.

Having troubles getting into the Closed Beta for Diablo III? War of the Immortals might not be the game which will permanently cure your fever, but it is still a good game to try out. Who knows, you might even fall for it.


A few months back, I managed to give the China server a try. Below are the game videos I took as the new Enchantress (or Dancer) class. Enjoy!


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Lumines Electronic Symphony Review: Still a Dazzling Mix of Sight And Sound

Posted: 15 Feb 2012 02:05 PM PST

“Some say I’ve been lazy,” admits the King of All Cosmos in the opening sequence of Touch My Katamari. “Phoning it in.” This is meant to be hilarious — that crazy King, always so pompous, yet vain enough to be stung by criticism! — but the wittiness of the whole thing is badly undermined by the fact that Touch My Katamari is lazy. Namco is, in fact, phoning it in.

Of course, the best parody is that which rings of the truth. In that sense, sure, this game is pretty parodic. Damningly so, I’d say. The problem is that I don’t think it was meant to be self-satire; certainly it’s not an exercise in self-reflection. All this talk of apathy and flabbiness are meant to be loving, tongue-in-cheek pokes at the character, not a frank assessment of the software itself. So, it’s either a joke that reflects a jarring lack of self-awareness by the developers, or else it’s a snide middle finger to the player: Yeah, this game is warmed-over, recycled content, but we’re gonna fix that! By… making you do the exact same things you did in the last five Katamari games. Thanks for the 30 bones, suckers.



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Shank 2 Announced for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC

Posted: 15 Feb 2012 01:26 PM PST

Shank 2

At the Electronic Arts Vegas Game Show today, a sequel to Shank was announced — and it won’t be long before it’s in our hands.

Shank 2 is being built from the ground-up and features online co-op support in what’s described as an arcade-style survivor mode. Judging by the screens and the first, short trailer, it looks to be just as gorgeous as the first game.

“Creatively, Shank still has a lot to give,” said developer Klei Entertainment’s founder, Jamie Cheng. “We took the feedback from the community and ran with it, putting our own flavor on every change. For Shank 2, we literally took apart the game and put it back together to push the envelope in combat mechanics, visuals, and 2D animation in games.”

“We are honored to again partner with the visionary talent of Klei Entertainment,” added EA Partners business development director Jamil Moledina. “Shank 2 showcases their ability to blend emotionally resonant yet sardonically violent storytelling with pitch perfect controls and art design and confirms EA Partners’ strategy of bringing the best independent games simultaneously to all leading digital platforms.”

Shank 2 is scheduled to release on the same three platforms as the first one — PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and PC — in “early 2012.”

The first game was released in August of 2010 and was received quite highly. As luck would have it, Xbox 360 owners can pick it up for half price (600 points, $7.50) right now on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Shank 2

Shank 2


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MMO Updates

MMO Updates


TERA Europe closed beta weekend starts today

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 09:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , , , , ,

TERA - Poporri Mystic
We've talked a lot about the American version of TERA's closed beta, but today the European client is taking center stage as Frogster kicks off its first closed beta weekend at 3:00 p.m. Central European Time.

Testers will receive two character slots and they'll have the opportunity to explore content up to and including level 22. Frogster is also enabling guild PvP and a new outlaw mission in the town of Velika. This weekend's test marks the start of five closed beta events leading up to TERA Europe's May 3rd release date.

[Source: Frogster press release]

MassivelyTERA Europe closed beta weekend starts today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    TERA hi-resolution textures patch now available

    Posted: 16 Feb 2012 08:00 AM PST

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    TERA - Amani PvE
    Those of you who found TERA's recent closed beta weekend a bit lacking on the eye-candy front can take heart. En Masse has been hard at work prepping the American client's high-resolution textures for public consumption, and they'll be included in the next beta weekend which begins on February 24th.

    The only catch is the fact that the new shinies have added a whopping seven gigabytes to the client download, but luckily En Masse is allowing testers to start patching now. The firm has also released the latest beta patch notes, so head to the official TERA forums for all the details.

    MassivelyTERA hi-resolution textures patch now available originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    A closer look at Guild Wars 2 world vs. world PvP

    Posted: 16 Feb 2012 07:00 AM PST

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    Trebuchets lob death over the battlements of Stonemist Castle, the gigantic central stronghold in the Mists.
    Guild Wars 2's competitive 5-player PvP has been getting a lot of love lately. To even the score, ArenaNet has put up a blog post dedicated to the second PvP type in Guild Wars 2: world vs. world, in which three servers compete in a two-week battle for glory.

    Each WvW arena is made up of four huge maps. Each map is capable of holding more than 100 players from each of three factions (servers), which means that upwards of 1,200 concurrent players will be able to get in on the large-scale action. The beauty of having three teams duking it out is that things tend to balance themselves out naturally. If one team goes beast-mode and starts making life miserable for everybody, the other two teams can naturally gang up to fight against the first.

    Although lore justification might be a little tricky, in a world with as much magitech the Guild Wars universe already plays host to, it's not too hard to imagine that people from alternate versions of the same world get spat into yet another mutually accessible copy of the world, where their first inclination is (naturally) to start beating the crud out of each other.

    Continue reading A closer look at Guild Wars 2 world vs. world PvP

    MassivelyA closer look at Guild Wars 2 world vs. world PvP originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Ask Massively: Continuing dental nightmare edition

      Posted: 16 Feb 2012 06:00 AM PST

      Filed under: , , , ,

      Given the option, I would have my teeth replaced with mechanical versions capable of shooting lasers.
      Back in December, I went in with a toothache and was informed that I had two options: Either the tooth could be yanked, or it could be saved via a root canal. I picked the latter option, which has provided me with a variety of new and interesting experiences, among them getting red-hot filler shoved into my jaw, having a nerve directly squirted with numbing agent, and getting a tooth shaved down to a nub while a sharp suction device jabbed at my gums. The whole process is almost over at long last, and I am relatively certain the last step will involve throwing a rabid weasel at me.

      In other news, it's time for this week's installment of Ask Massively, covering our column procedure and the continuing saga of World of Warcraft's subscriber losses. As always, questions for future installments may be submitted via mail to ask@massively.com or left in the comments. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.

      Continue reading Ask Massively: Continuing dental nightmare edition

      MassivelyAsk Massively: Continuing dental nightmare edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: Would you fund an MMO via Kickstarter?

        Posted: 16 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST

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        Grim Fandango
        So the gaming world is abuzz with news of DoubleFine's huge Kickstarter payday. While it's true that there are only a handful of gaming studios with the resume necessary to make such a splash, it's also true that little-guy dev outfits around the globe are now aware of the funding potential inherent in connecting with your fans.

        RPG maker Obsidian has begun exploring its options, Brian Fargo is interested in creating a sequel to Wasteland via crowdfunding, and it's only a matter of time before a fledgling MMORPG designer follows suit. For this edition of the Daily Grind, let us know how you feel about a brave new publisher-free world. Would you enjoy cutting out the proverbial middleman when it comes to your gaming dollars, and more specifically, would you contribute to an MMO via Kickstarter?

        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: Would you fund an MMO via Kickstarter? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          MechWarrior Online discusses the fine details of advancement

          Posted: 15 Feb 2012 07:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , , ,

          Centurions have never looked quite so impressive.
          MechWarrior Online continues its march along in development, but that's no reason for fans to just wait and see what happens. A new installment in the developer blog that answers community questions has just been unveiled, tackling a variety of different topics. The primary focus is on customizing your 'Mech and advancing your character skills, building off of the recent discussion regarding the means of advancement and how players can upgrade their skills.

          As outlined by the questions, the experience system will in some ways be reminiscent of EVE Online's -- players won't be able to respec, but there will be no limitations on starting to put points in a new tree while retaining the benefits of previously spent points. It's also confirmed that your experience with a given chassis remains even if you move on from the 'Mech in question should you later choose to return. If you're worried about the fine details of self-improvement in the upcoming game, the latest answer should put most of your questions to rest.

          MassivelyMechWarrior Online discusses the fine details of advancement originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Free for All: Comparing the payment models of RuneScape and Illyriad

          Posted: 15 Feb 2012 06:30 PM PST

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          Illyriad and RuneScape maps
          Last week, I introduced you to two of my favorite free-to-play or freemium payment models. Payment models are endlessly fascinating because so many players normally didn't think about them until free-to-play and freemium models stopped being something that only came from foreign shores. Now, everyone has an opinion about which payment model is the best. I tend to love simple ones, as close to simple as I can get. If a game is truly wonderful, however, I don't care if the developers ask players to cut off their right arms. I've paid my fair share and continue to do so.

          In fact, in one of the most disturbing trends of the last few years, players have begun bemoaning the lack of a free version of their favorite game. I see it all the time: players publicly wishing for the time that their favorite game will go free-to-play so they can return without paying a dime. Sure, I can understand being strapped for cash and needing an easy way to get back to an old title, but come on... those titles might not be around much longer if players do not support them in the first place. I am not a fan of free-to-play because I am cheap or because I need to avoid paying developers what they deserve. I have said it before, and I will say it again: I am a fan of free-to-play because it lets me decide when I want to spend my money. There's a big difference.

          So let's chat about two of my favorite game's payment models.

          Continue reading Free for All: Comparing the payment models of RuneScape and Illyriad

          MassivelyFree for All: Comparing the payment models of RuneScape and Illyriad originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Choose My Adventure: Quest rhythm

            Posted: 15 Feb 2012 06:00 PM PST

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            Not pictured: Corlede being tied up by Zorai cavalry and insisting that they call her Dances with Bodoc.
            Questing is an essential part of MMOs. You can say that players should be the ones crafting stories in games, not the developers, but quests provide you with structure and guidance. Even if you can create all sorts of stories on your own, it helps to know what the world is supposed to be like and how to set your own objectives. Not to mention the fact that having some sort of pointer is massively useful when you start playing.

            So it makes sense to take a good look at the questing in Ryzom, even though the game definitely veers toward the "sandbox" side of the fence. Plus, questing won the poll last week, so even if I thought quests were categorical garbage, that would still be my destination. I can't run you through all of the quests that I've done in the game, but one in particular lent itself to a narrative, albeit in a somewhat disjointed form.

            Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Quest rhythm

            MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Quest rhythm originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Dark Age of Camelot producer's letter looks toward the future

              Posted: 15 Feb 2012 05:30 PM PST

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              Screenshot -- Dark Age of Camelot
              Dark Age of Camelot's Valentine's Day event is still in full swing, but the devs over at Mythic Entertainment have plenty more in store for players. Stuart Zissu, DAoC's producer, stopped by the official site to give players a heads-up as to what they can expect in upcoming updates. For starters, the next phase of the ongoing live event will be coming sometime "in the next few months," and players are warned that the Pict encampments they've already encountered are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

              On top of that, the devs will be adding a number of new titles throughout the year that center on the long-running title's 10th anniversary. Zissu adds that "there will also be new titles for the next phase of the live event" as well as a special trophy commemorating Dark Age of Camelot's 10 years of RvRvR action. For more information, including details on DAoC's first video contest, just click on through the link below and give the post a look.

              MassivelyDark Age of Camelot producer's letter looks toward the future originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              WildStar unveils questing with a Twitter budget

              Posted: 15 Feb 2012 05:00 PM PST

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              No force in the 'verse can stop me.
              Nobody likes reading quest text. Having to sift through five paragraphs of text just to figure out what you're doing isn't anyone's idea of a good time. The latest entry in the WildStar Wednesday series of developer blogs is all about how the team has tried to do away with mind-numbing and ponderous quest text. And the narrative design team does so by paring down quest text to a quick snippet no longer than a Twitter post.

              While there are ways to construct smaller entries, of course, the entry discusses how the 140-character limit makes for a good building block to keep players engaged -- it's short enough that you can read it quickly but not so short that it omits important information. In addition to showing a quest get brought down to a quick bite-sized snippet, the entry also talks about keeping control in the hands of the player and letting the story unfold organically, both things that should be of interest to WildStar fans eager for more information.

              MassivelyWildStar unveils questing with a Twitter budget originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Online gaming linked with marital dissatisfaction

              Posted: 15 Feb 2012 04:30 PM PST

              Filed under: , , , ,

              seriously, though
              Good news, gamers! You can now blame another dysfunction (if you have it, and I'm sure you don't) on the games you play! It's not enough that those nasty ol' video games are making you violent and antisocial -- a new survey put out by Brigham Young University is linking online gaming with a decrease in marital satisfaction.

              The survey states that "gaming widows," whose spouses neglect them to focus on gaming, are dissatisfied with the states of their marriage. How that differs from corporate widows, football widows, or any other neglected spouse without a catchy title isn't really specified. Another conclusion pointed out by the survey is that when spouses play together, the marriage tends to be in pretty good shape. Who'd have ever thought that spending time bonding over a shared interest would be healthy for a relationship?

              While we're all in agreement that your level 80 Paladin probably doesn't deserve as much of your love and affection as your spouse, if you hadn't figured that out on your own, gaming probably isn't the root of your problems. Just a thought.

              MassivelyOnline gaming linked with marital dissatisfaction originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              SteelWar Online kicks off alpha testing

              Posted: 15 Feb 2012 04:00 PM PST

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              Once those robots have you in their grasp, you can't escape.  Because robots are made of steel, and steel is strong.
              Are there enough robots in your life? If your answer is "yes," you're most likely not concerned about the alpha testing of SteelWar Online. For those of us who instead welcome our new mechanical overlords, the kickoff of the alpha test is good news, as it means that the game is drawing ever closer to release. And seeing as it's a browser-based game available directly via Facebook, you'll have an easy time if you feel the urge to take part in said testing.

              Not a big fan of testing free-to-play games? Well, developer PopPace is trying to sweeten the pot slightly. During the alpha test, players will be given the equivalent of $2000 to blow in the game's cash shop, unlocking every option at will. While that's only good for the alpha test, players will receive an extra stash of microtransaction currency once the game goes live, and an extra stipend will be granted to players who find and report bugs. It's just the thing to fill that robot-shaped void in your life.

              [Source: PopPace press release]

              MassivelySteelWar Online kicks off alpha testing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Pathfinder Online will let players run the kingdom

                Posted: 15 Feb 2012 03:30 PM PST

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                The game itself has no real art yet, but the pen-and-paper game has quite a few nice pieces.
                If you've played the Pathfinder tabletop game that Pathfinder Online is based upon, you know that you need to have grouping. After all, the former is all about bands of adventurers exploring the wilds. So it's fitting that the most recent developer blog is all about the game's methods of managing groups and playing in different numbers. And this isn't just a matter of parties or solo play -- at the high end, players can be running entire kingdoms as a social unit.

                Solo play is meant to be somewhat discouraged, as the blog notes it will be a much more difficult road for a dedicated lone wolf. Parties will be the next step up, holding an undetermined number of players (the working target has about 24 players at the high end). Above those are chartered companies, settlements, and as mentioned, entire new player-run kingdoms. It's going to produce some interesting dynamics to have player organizations in such abundance, but the developers seem to have some confidence in their initial designs.

                MassivelyPathfinder Online will let players run the kingdom originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                City of Heroes takes to the shadows with new Darkness Control info

                Posted: 15 Feb 2012 03:00 PM PST

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                Screenshot -- City of Heroes
                It's time for yet another issue of The Intrepid Informer, and this time the spotlight is on one of City of Heroes' upcoming new power set, Darkness Control. Darkness Control does exactly what it says on the tin, granting players dominion over the powers of darkness in order to subjugate and control their enemies. With a number of roots, debuffs, and even a couple of pets, the Darkness Control powerset is sure to please Controllers and Dominators of all varieties. But wait, that's not all. In addition to the Darkness Control power set, Paragon Studios is introducing two new secondary power sets: Darkness Affinity for Controllers and Dark Assault for Dominators. All of these new power sets will be free to VIP players, though premium players will have to purchase the Darkness Control set on the Paragon Market. Oh, and before we forget, be sure to drop into City of Heroes this weekend for a double XP weekend.

                For the full details on the new power set as well as some handy tips and tricks from the designers, just click on past the link below to the City of Heroes official site.

                MassivelyCity of Heroes takes to the shadows with new Darkness Control info originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Seven Souls Online gets competitive with its closed beta

                Posted: 15 Feb 2012 02:30 PM PST

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                Screenshot -- Seven Souls Online
                Last week, we gave you folks the opportunity to grab a beta key for NEOWIZ GAMES' upcoming F2P title Seven Souls Online. Well, the time has come to put those keys to good use. The game's developers announced in a press release today that Seven Souls Online has entered closed beta testing, but this isn't an ordinary beta test. No, this is a beta contest. You see, NEOWIZ GAMES wants to make sure that players report all the bugs they come across, so the studio is offering some extra incentives.

                Throughout the course of the beta test, players can take part in The Great Bug Hunt, in which players are asked to submit bugs with screenshots and directions for replication. The seven players who submit the most useful bug reports will be rewarded with an iPad 2. If you're not up for all that bug-reporting work, though, don't worry. The studio is also asking beta testers to submit their most iconic screenshots that they think "represents Seven Souls Online." Players will vote on the forums for the best entry, and the top five contestants will receive an "ultra-rare" mount known as the Burning Ghost Mount, which sounds pretty awesome if a bit surreal. To get in on the beta testing action, just click on over to the game's official site.

                [Source: NEOWIZ GAMES press release]

                MassivelySeven Souls Online gets competitive with its closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Dark Legends' teaser trailer is to die for

                  Posted: 15 Feb 2012 02:00 PM PST

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                  Dark Legends
                  We've gotten our first glimpse at the world of Spacetime Studios' Dark Legends, and it certainly sets a different tone than the mobiile MMO developer's past efforts. In this teaser trailer, a haunting rendition of House of the Rising Sun plays as blood flows back up and into the mouth of a delighted vampire.

                  Slated for release in the first quarter of this year on iOS, Android, and Chrome, Dark Legends is all about the supernatural underbelly of society. Players will choose a society of vampires to join and go forth to battle nasties like werewolves and zombies.

                  You can watch the trailer after the jump!

                  Continue reading Dark Legends' teaser trailer is to die for

                  MassivelyDark Legends' teaser trailer is to die for originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Star Trek issues Foundry Challenge to all captains

                    Posted: 15 Feb 2012 01:30 PM PST

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                    STO
                    Star Trek Online's Foundry has been a powerful -- and tricky -- tool for players to create missions for others to enjoy. To encourage starship captains to create the best possible Foundry missions, Cryptic has issued its first Foundry Challenge with a top prize of 500 Cryptic Points for the C-Store.

                    Creators have three weeks (until March 7th) to make a mission revolving around the murder of a diplomat on Risa, after which players will field-test the results and vote on the best one of the bunch. Only one winner will be selected for the prize.

                    This is intended to be the first of many subsequent Foundry Challenges, each running the span of a month. There are several rules for each entry, including length and story topic. Cryptic is encouraging players to discuss the created missions on the forums in their quest to disseminate the cream of the crop.

                    In other STO news, Cryptic's adding a Deep Space 9 bundle to the game that includes a bridge set, special Duty Officers, costumes, weapons, and a Type-10 (Chaffee) shuttlecraft. The bundle will set purchasers back 1800 CP.

                    MassivelyStar Trek issues Foundry Challenge to all captains originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Why I Play: Wurm Online

                    Posted: 15 Feb 2012 01:00 PM PST

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                    Wurm Online village
                    The thing about MMOs is that most of them are terrible. There, I said it.

                    Here at Massively, we're exposed to more MMOs than we could ever possibly play to the point of complete enjoyment. We play some for First Impressions articles, we play some for livestreaming, and we play some to see what all the hype is about, but these are often very different games than the ones we sit down to enjoy at the end of the day.

                    That's why I wanted to start this series of articles called Why I Play. Just like The Soapbox articles, Why I Play will be a weekly column penned by various members of the Massively staff. We'll talk about which games we enjoy the most and what it is about these MMOs that keep us hooked so passionately. These aren't reviews; they're not guides or lists of features; and they're not based on any kind of launch-day deadline. We're not selling you anything, and we don't expect you to agree with us. These articles will simply be a personal ode to our favorite MMOs.

                    So follow along as I kick things off with what has been my favorite MMO for probably the last 18 months: Wurm Online.

                    Continue reading Why I Play: Wurm Online

                    MassivelyWhy I Play: Wurm Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      DCUO's Battle for Earth pack spells the final confrontation with Braniac

                      Posted: 15 Feb 2012 12:30 PM PST

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                      DCUO
                      The confrontation between Brainiac and the world's most superpowered figures is coming to a head, as SOE announced that a final confrontation with DC Universe Online's premier villain will take place in the game's third DLC pack. Titled The Battle for Earth, the pack will pit players against Brainiac's final avatar, the Avatar of Magic, during a raid on Wonder Woman's home of Themyscira.

                      To assist players with this new raid, SOE is arming superheroes with the game's ninth powerset: Earth Powers. Earth-using heroes can excel at both tanking and damage by using earthquakes and constructs to bring the pain to enemies.

                      The core of the pack's storyline will lead players through the struggles against Brainiac as he creates Prime Avatars to conquer the world. The Battle for Earth DLC pack also includes an invasion in South Gotham, another raid, duos, and a Courthouse Alert.

                      SOE says that the DLC pack is coming "soon" and will be included for Legendary members or available to purchase for Premium and free players. You can check out screenshots from the pack in the gallery below.

                      [Source: SOE press release]

                      MassivelyDCUO's Battle for Earth pack spells the final confrontation with Braniac originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Assume I'm making a pun about the Super Pack

                        Posted: 15 Feb 2012 12:00 PM PST

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                        A Mild-Mannered Reporter header by A. Fienemann
                        It doesn't seem that long ago that I was looking back on my past year of writing this column, mentioning how negative I had gotten overall and sort of quietly wishing that I could spend the next year being more positive. I don't really want to write a column on City of Heroes once again that winds up being full of complaints.

                        But if Paragon Studios is going to do something to induce rage, I'm not really given many options. Case in point: the Super Pack.

                        I don't need to tell a lot of you why this is a bad idea. I shouldn't even really need to say this is a bad idea. This is one of those ideas that shouldn't have ever made it past the conceptual stage. The moment it was suggested in a board meeting, everyone else in the room should have rushed for the person who suggested it, driving him or her into a closet for safety. That this did not happen speaks volumes.

                        Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Assume I'm making a pun about the Super Pack

                        MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Assume I'm making a pun about the Super Pack originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                          Enter at Your Own Rift: A RIFT wedding primer

                          Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:30 AM PST

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                          Rift Wedding
                          Right now in RIFT, couples are donning their best attire, polishing up their rings, and practicing their vows as they participate in a Valentine's Day wedding challenge. From yesterday until today at noon, players will attempt to set the Guinness World Record for most in-game weddings in a single day. I decided to participate, so I bought the elegant wedding dress and veil from the marriage coordinator and said to my husband, "Will you marry me in-game?" His answer was, "Why?"

                          I can't say I'm surprised because we've been married for the better part of 17 years, and he's never really been into the social part of gaming as much as I have. But he's also a good sport, so he agreed to buy a tux and do the ceremony anyway. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll walk you through the process of tying the knot in game, from the pre-wedding prep to the lively celebrations afterwards.

                          Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: A RIFT wedding primer

                          MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: A RIFT wedding primer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                            Guild Wars 2 to implement Spanish localization

                            Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:00 AM PST

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                            Guild Wars 2
                            In less controversial Guild Wars 2 news for today, a post on ArenaNet's blog confirms that the game will have Spanish localization on launch. While German and French were already a part of the game, Spanish-speaking fans have been hoping for localization for quite some time. The ArenaNet developers listened to those hopes, and apparently having decided that they can make this happen at the high standard they hold themselves to, have taken this project on. Because of the variation of spoken Spanish across the world, the game won't be receiving Spanish voicing; instead, voiced content will have Spanish subtitles.

                            With that in mind, ArenaNet is now looking for Spanish QA and a localization editor to join its team in Bellevue, WA and a Spanish-speaking community manager for its Brighton, England offices. If that's your wheelhouse, polish up your résumé and head over to NCsoft's jobs page for more information.

                            MassivelyGuild Wars 2 to implement Spanish localization originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                              Achievement Unlocked: A look at the Guinness world records of online gaming

                              Posted: 15 Feb 2012 10:00 AM PST

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                              We're just over a month into the new year, and already we've got plenty to look forward to: The Secret World is expected to hit in April, TERA will follow shortly in May, and Guild Wars 2 will be out... sometime this year (we hope). But before we all start looking toward the future, let's take a moment to look back at some of the gaming achievements of the past.

                              Thanks to the handy-dandy Guinness Book of World Records 2012: Gamer's Edition, we've got a quick compendium of MMO-related records from the past year and then some, so if you're at all interested in the shortest-lived MMO to date or the longest time anyone's spent playing MMOs from inside a crate, join us as we take a stroll down memory lane to take a look at some notably (in)famous MMO achievements.

                              Continue reading Achievement Unlocked: A look at the Guinness world records of online gaming

                              MassivelyAchievement Unlocked: A look at the Guinness world records of online gaming originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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