General Gaming Article

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• We Heard The New iPad Has Thermal Issues, But Ours Seems Just Fine
• Mac|Life Is Giving Away a New iPad!
• AMD FX-8120 Bundled With Liquid Cooling Shows Up Online
• Report: Windows 8 To Launch In October With Limited ARM Availability
• Nvidia GTX 680 Rumor Roundup: Specs, Leaks, Pics And More
• Dual-GPU Radeon HD 7990 Graphics Card Exposes Itself
• Windows 8 Will Boost PC Shipments in Second Half of 2012, IDC Says
• New WoW: Mists of Pandaria Trailers Show Off Gorgeous Scenery
• Study Finds Teens Still Like to Text, Captain Obvious Unavailable for Comment
• Seagate Announces Terabit Areal Density Milestone, Promises 60TB Hard Drives

We Heard The New iPad Has Thermal Issues, But Ours Seems Just Fine Posted: 20 Mar 2012 04:05 PM PDT Maybe we just got lucky.

Mac|Life Is Giving Away a New iPad! Posted: 20 Mar 2012 12:04 PM PDT In case you haven't heard, there's this new product on the market called an "iPad." It's some sort of tablet with a screen, we guess? No, no, we kid. Of course the new iPad is out, and a big deal, and it's got a glorious screen and tons of apps and all that good stuff. What's more, our sister site Mac|Life is giving away a new iPad, for free, and all you have to do is visit them on social media and comment on their article. Even if you're not the worlds biggest Apple fan, can you turn down the chance to win a sweet new gadget for nothing more than 30 seconds of your time? Click here to enter!

AMD FX-8120 Bundled With Liquid Cooling Shows Up Online Posted: 20 Mar 2012 11:28 AM PDT In a bid to create more of a one-stop-shopping experience for Bulldozer-loving overclocking fanatics, AMD recently announced plans to roll out a FX-8150 bundled with a liquid cooler a little while back. There were just a few problems: at $370 to $400, the kit is really expensive for what it offers, and it still hasn't actually become available yet. Despite that, a new, similar kit pairing a liquid cooler with a FX-8120 proc has popped up online. The WOX bundle sports a "FD8120FRGUWOX" SKU and is already available for pre-order over at shopblt.com, CPU World reports. (Yep, the same shopblt.com that posted an Asus GTX 680 for sale early.) At $310, it comes in quite a bit cheaper than the FX-8150 bundle, but keep in mind that you can pick up a standard heatsink/fan-cooled FX-8120 for $190 at Newegg (though the MSRP is $205). For those of us that need a refresher, the Socket AM3+-ready  FX-8120 sports 4 dual-core Bulldozer modules for 8 cores total, 8MB of L2 cache, 8MB of shared L3 cache, and a 3.1GHz core frequency that can shoot up to 4 GHz with AMD's Turbo Core technology.  Unfortunately, there's no word on the scheduled availability of the water-cooled FX-8120. (Or the water-cooled FX-8150, for that matter.) Do these bundled kits hold appeal for any of you, or would you rather roll your own?

Report: Windows 8 To Launch In October With Limited ARM Availability Posted: 20 Mar 2012 10:48 AM PDT In case you haven't heard, Windows 8 is coming. To be a little bit more specific, most analysts think it's coming later this year -- sometime in the fall, actually. Now we've got something more than vague speculation to back that up. Reporters from Bloomberg talked to anonymous "people with knowledge of the schedule" who claim that Windows 8 is on pace to be wrapped up this summer and launched in October, complete with a lineup of both ARM- and x86-based devices. The same sources say you shouldn't expect Windows 8 ARM tablets to flood the streets right at launch; the same sources says that ARM devices will have less availability than x86 devices because Microsoft is keeping an iron fist clenched around the number and quality of ARM offerings. If it's true, the new operating system would be in prime position to take advantage of the holiday rush and IDC could actually be proven correct about Windows 8 and Ultrabooks giving PC sales a shot in the ARM this year.

Nvidia GTX 680 Rumor Roundup: Specs, Leaks, Pics And More Posted: 20 Mar 2012 10:25 AM PDT While the new Radeon 7000 video cards seem to be launching and garnering headlines on an almost daily basis, it would be foolish to forget that AMD is far from the only 800 lb. gorilla in the discrete graphics room. As regular reader JohnP regularly reminds us, several signs point to Nvidia releasing the Kepler-based GeForce GTX 680 on March 22nd. That's just a couple of days away, so we thought we'd do a quick round-up of the various GTX 680 rumors floating around the web. The picture above, courtesy of Chip Hell, gives us a good of the GTX 680's exterior, but as we all know, it's what's inside that counts. Fortunately, PCOnline.com.cn released what it claims is a leaked side from an Nvidia press deck -- one that shows off all the technical details we're looking for. The GeForce GTX 680 reportedly sports a 1006MHz base clock speed that can be boosted to 1058MHz, 2GB of 256-bit GDDR5 memory, PCI-E 3.0 support, 1536 CUDA cores, and a 195W TDP through two 6 pin PCI-E connectors. Several e-tailers from around the world have prematurely listed various makes and models of the GTX 680, and their details corroborate the info above.  TechPowerUp has been doing a bang-up job of keeping up with the springing leaks. A couple of days ago, the publication reported seeing a Zotac GTX 680 up for sale on Dutch e-tailer ComCom.nl for roughly $560 USD. Yesterday, the Asus GTX680-2GD5 reared its head on the U.S.-based shopblt.com for $566, while today, TechPowerUp sighted overclocked GTX 680s from MSI and EVGA on sale at the Canadian NCIX.com. Both the EVGA GeForce GTX 680 Superclocked and the MSI GeForce GTX 680 OC carry sticker prices of $578. The MSI model is listed as having a clock speed of 1056MHz and 2GB of 6GHz (effective) GDDR5 memory. Fudzilla claims the MSRP will drop from $549 to $499 come release day, though they note "there are no talks regarding the official Recommended Retail Price." The image above comes courtesy of HKEPC.com, which claims to have gotten ahold of a GTX 680 and run it through the benchmark gauntlet. Check the link to see how the GTX 680 stacks up to both the GTX 580 and the Radeon HD 7970 in several different tests. (Hint: pretty friggin' well.) As always, all Internet rumors should be taken with a handful of salt. With that being said, whaddaya think about Kepler?

Dual-GPU Radeon HD 7990 Graphics Card Exposes Itself Posted: 20 Mar 2012 07:23 AM PDT A Chinese website has posted a naked picture of AMD's upcoming Radeon HD 7990 graphics card. It's a partial snapshot that shows one of the two GPUs AMD crammed onto this pixel pushing monster, which supposedly consists of a pair of Tahiti XT graphics cores, the same as found on AMD's Radeon HD 7970 videocard. If the information is correct, the card will launch in April, after Nvidia's Kepler rolls into town. As detailed in the post over at INPAI.com.cn, the Radeon HD 7990 sports a pair of 28nm Tahiti XT GPUs, each with 2,048 stream processors, 128 texture units, 32 raster units, and 3GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus. The GPUs are clocked at 850MHz and the memory races along at 1,250MHz, or 5GHz effective. For the sake of comparison, a single-GPU 7970 card features a 925MHz core clockspeed and 1,375MHz memory clockspeed (5.5GHz effective), and is priced at $550. Image Credit: inpai.com.cn

Windows 8 Will Boost PC Shipments in Second Half of 2012, IDC Says Posted: 20 Mar 2012 06:46 AM PDT Apple CEO Tim Cook can talk all he wants about the post-PC era, we're not buying it. Neither is International Data Corporation (IDC), which today said it expects worldwide PC shipments to pick up steam as the year goes on and have a strong second half of 2012. The first half of the year will only see "modest growth," but between the launch of Windows 8 and excitement generated by Ultrabooks and other ultra-thin notebooks, IDC expects second half sales to be much stronger. This will be in stark contrast to 2011, in which PC vendors faced a "tenuous economic recovery" and went toe-to-toe with "emerging computing devices," which we take to mean tablets. PC shipments in mature markets like the U.S. and Europe declined 9 percent in 2011 compared to 2010, IDC says. In 2012, IDC expects PC growth to be 5 percent for the year, most of which will take place in the second half of the year. "Many consumers are holding off making PC purchases at the moment because tablet devices like Apple's iPad are proving to be a powerful distraction," according to Bob O'Donnell, vice president of Clients and Displays at IDC. "However, end user surveys tell us that few people consider media tablets as replacements for their PCs, so later this year when there is a new Microsoft operating system, available in sleek new PC form factors, we believe consumer interest in PCs will begin to rebound." Bolded by us for emphasis because it's refreshing to hear someone else say what we've been preaching from the beginning.

New WoW: Mists of Pandaria Trailers Show Off Gorgeous Scenery Posted: 20 Mar 2012 06:15 AM PDT As recovered WoW addicts, we're still not entirely sold on Mists of Pandaria as fuel to rekindle our old flame, but we are certain of one fact: we like pretty things. At the very least, WoW: MoP (which sounds like some sort of as-seen-on-TV miracle cleaning device) has some serious good looks going for it. The game engine may be rapidly approaching its eighth birthday, but you wouldn't know it based on Blizzard's stellar art direction. Gleaming green forests, towering Chinese temples, a dungeon full of knife-fighting monkeys – what else do you really need? A release date? Well, we don't have that. But we do have four trailers. That's better than one measly release date, right? Don't answer that.

Study Finds Teens Still Like to Text, Captain Obvious Unavailable for Comment Posted: 20 Mar 2012 06:14 AM PDT Water is still wet, fire is still hot, and the air we breathe is still rich with oxygen. And in other news, teenagers are still really into text messaging. In case you had any doubts, Pew Internet rounded up a whole bunch of teens to discuss their smartphone and texting habits, and found that teens 12-17 years old send 60 text messages on any given day, up from 50 text messages in 2009. Around 75 percent of teens are doing it (texting, that is), and the majority of those sending more text messages are between the ages of 14-17 years old, who went from a median of 60 texts in day in 2009 to 100 texts currently. Older girls text the most, sending 100 messages a day on average, compared to half as many for boys of the same age. It should come as no shocker to discover it's no longer hip to talk on a landline. In 2009, 30 percent of teens surveyed said they talked daily with friends on a landline. And now? That number is down by more than half (14 percent). Talking in general is fast becoming uncool, with only 26 percent of teens (both those with and without a mobile phone) actually communicating verbally with their friends every day, down from 38 percent in 2009. There are lots more stats to digest in the full report. Image Credit: Flickr (Jhaymesiviphotography)

Seagate Announces Terabit Areal Density Milestone, Promises 60TB Hard Drives Posted: 20 Mar 2012 06:04 AM PDT Seagate has become the first hard drive maker to achieve a storage density of 1 terabit (1 trillion bits) per square inch, the company said Monday. It managed this feat using a next-generation recording technology called heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). The company foresees 3.5-inch hard drives based on this technology reaching "extraordinary" storage capacities over the next decade. Hit the jump for more. Seagate expects the first HAMR drives to boast double the storage capacity of current perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) hard drives when they hit the market later this decade, eventually leading to 3.5-inch hard drives with a capacity of up to 60 terabytes over the following 10 years. To help you better appreciate its latest achievement, Seagate pointed out that "bits within a square inch of disk space, at the new milestone, far outnumber stars in the Milky Way, which astronomers put between 200 billion and 400 billion." From the press release: "The maximum capacity of today's 3.5-inch hard drives is 3 terabytes (TB), at about 620 gigabits per square inch, while 2.5-inch drives top out at 750 gigabytes (GB), or roughly 500 gigabits per square inch. The first generation of HAMR drives, at just over 1 terabit per square inch, will likely more than double these capacities – to 6TB for 3.5-inch drives and 2TB for 2.5-inch models. The technology offers a scale of capacity growth never before possible, with a theoretical areal density limit ranging from 5 to 10 terabits per square inch – 30TB to 60TB for 3.5-inch drives and 10TB to 20TB for 2.5-inch drives."

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MMO News

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• Einherjar
• New update hits Digimon Masters
• More Druid class info revealed for Dungeons and Dragons Online
• Tribes: Ascend launches new map and servers

Einherjar Posted: 20 Mar 2012 04:40 PM PDT Einherjar offers players the opportunity to play as a viking leader and conquer the northern seas. With an innovative, strategic combat system, players much select their units carefully to come out victorious. Players will also feel the effects of aging, as your character’s strength weakens over time. However, wisdom also comes with age, revealing a whole new set of abilities that develop as you grow older. Pass on your strengths to your children as well, and stand the test of time. Publisher: KBMJ Playerbase: ?? Graphics: Medium Type: MMO EXP Rate: ?? PvP: Yes Filesize: N/A Pros: +Turn-based combat. +Simple to play. +Browser Based. +Unique Elements such as marriage, cold sleep, etc. Cons: -Not enough information available. Overview Einherjar Overview Einherjar, by KBMJ, is a translation of the original Japanese web-game. Players control a viking leader and must recruit warriors and build a thriving village in order to survive. You may then conquer territories from monsters and players alike, utilizing the grid-based combat system. Much like many console strategy games, the game uses a grid system for combat, allowing you strategic control over where your units end up. Einherjar Online also offers a marriage system to allow children to have access to more advanced skills earlier. There is also a Cold Sleep option that will freeze a character for use later on, as characters do age, become weaker, and eventually pass away in game. Einherjar Screenshots Einherjar Featured Video Click here to view the embedded video. Full Review Einherjar Full Review Coming Soon… Screenshots Einherjar Screenshots Coming Soon… Videos Einherjar Videos Einherjar: The Viking’s Blood Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. Links Einherjar Links Official Game Page System Requirements Einherjar System Requirements Coming soon…

New update hits Digimon Masters Posted: 20 Mar 2012 02:42 PM PDT Digimon Masters Online has launched a new content patch with a raised level cap and more. The update raises the level cap to 85 (up from 75), and introduces four new maps for players above level 55. New Digimon are also becoming available, including Guilmon, Candlemon, and Sakuyamon. Players can also find new items in the Digishop, including a Premium EXP Boost (100%) and  Premium Packages with 140% and 200% boosted experience. Digimon Masters is published by Joymax, which also publishes Silkroad Online and Karma Online. Guilmon Digimon Masters Online Artwork Source: DIGIMON MASTERS REACHES FOR THE STARS Increased Level Cap Arrives With New Digimon To Collect! March 20, 2012— Joymax, leading online game developer and publisher, announced today the launch of the biggest content patch yet for their online massive multiplayer title, Digimon Masters. A fantastic universe where our world and the Digital World are closer than anyone would have imagined is about to change in ways never expected! Digimon Masters continues the story and heightened sense of urgency found in the Digimon anime. This update brings a raised level cap, several added Digimon, new items, and extra maps for players to explore. Tamers who want to join in on the fun can sign up at www.joymax.com?value=40BB0F7C40D1B712DC414690C6E6E8E3 Feeling glum because your Digimon can only reach level 75? Despair no longer, as the level cap has been lifted and now tamers can train their way up to 85. Only the most dedicated will reach this auspicious goal, but it is well worth it to rise to the occasion, as the increased levels may unlock hidden potential in Digimon not previously seen! Joining the vast array of available Digimon is the famous Guilmon! Introduced in Series 3, Guilmon is the result of one child’s vivid imagination, and from there he has grown into a fan favorite, and Joymax is pleased to bring him to the Digmon Masters audience. Also joining the fray is Candlemon and Sakuyamon, also popular choices among Tamers around the world. Need a boost to get through? Load up on one of the several new items added to the Digishop this update, including the Premium EXP Boost (100%), or for those prepared for serious grinding, Joymax is now offering two additional Premium Packages of 140% and 200% EXP boosts respectively, allowing players to triple their experience gain for a short period of time! Veteran tamers aren’t being left out either – four new maps have been introduced for the most elite characters. Each of these zones targets a needed area above level 55, but be warned: the Mercenary Digimon who roam these locations are some of the toughest opponents available yet, so be prepared to fight for your life. Begin exploring Digimon Maze B1, and Digimon Maze B2 today, and there’s a chance to get Digiclone[A] to enchant your Digimon to the highest level on updated enchantment system. Players can see full event details at www.joymax.com?value=40BB0F7C40D1B712DC414690C6E6E8E3 Digimon are well known all over the globe as part of the famous Japanese TV animation series. Digimon Masters is the first ever 3D online game based on the Digimon universe with more than 1,000 characters featured from seasons 1 through 5 of the series. Not only is it faithful to the art design, Digimon Masters closely follows the original story that will satisfy both loyal fans of the series as well as the average gamer. The game seamlessly combines pet training simulation with role-playing elements to deliver a one of a kind gaming experience. Featuring real-time combat, Gamers will be thrilled with the challenges brought forth by real-time combat which requires quick thinking and good reflexes. Players can also become one of 8 Royal Knights. Royal Knights are Digimon who are in charge of each area in the Digital World. Leaders of a guild that conquers one of these areas can become a Royal Knight who has the right to impose taxes along with other perks and obligations.   To get the latest information and regular contests for amazing prizes, players are encouraged to follow the official Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/digimonmasters Players can also check out more details at http://twitter.com/dmojoymax/

More Druid class info revealed for Dungeons and Dragons Online Posted: 20 Mar 2012 02:02 PM PDT Turbine has revealed more information about the druid class, arriving in Dungeons and Dragons Online with the Menace of the Underdark expansion in June. The Druid is the first shape-shifting class, which uses staves, daggers, clubs, and sickles, and can also cast powerful spells. They wear lighter armor and gain greater natural resistances. Druids can transform into the Winter Wolf, Dire Bear, Water Elemental, or Fire Elemental, granting diverse and powerful changes to use in battle. The class will be free to VIPs or purchased as a premium character. Turbine also publishes The Lord of the Rings Online. Druid Transformation Dungeons and Dragons Online Gameplay Screenshot Source: Dungeons & Dragons Online: Menace of the Underdark (launching June 25th) Druid Class Details At last, players can challenge the Drow of the Underdark as a Druid from the wilds of Eberron. Starting with Menace of the Underdark, DDO's first shape-shifting class, the Druid, will be available as a premium playable class — and free to all VIPs! Proficient with staves, daggers, clubs, sickles, and more; the Druid is a powerful caster who is able to fill a variety of party roles. Take the Druidic oath and get closer to nature. Shed your heavy metal armor in exchange for resistance to the harsh aspects of nature like entanglement, poison, and other natural dangers. Harness animal instincts to transform yourself into a vicious Winter Wolf, or defend allies as sturdy Dire Bear. Expand your physical limitations and rain down lighting as the Water Elemental, or incinerate the foes of nature as the Fire Elemental. Each wild shape has its own specialized set of spells to cast!

Tribes: Ascend launches new map and servers Posted: 20 Mar 2012 12:33 PM PDT Hi-Rez Studios has released a new update for their soon-to-release shooter, Tribes Ascend. The update introduces a new map, Sunstar, for Capture the Flag, and also makes revisions to Temple Ruins (CtF) and returns it to Quick Play. New European and Asian servers were added, along with server performance optimizations. The patch also polishes HUD and reticule icons and options, and saves user settings server-side for player convenience. Hi-Rez Studios also announced that all beta players who reached level 10 by the time the game launches on April 12 will earn an exclusive in-game Beta badge. Hi-Rez also publishes Global Agenda.  Temple Ruins Map Tribes: Ascend Gameplay Screenshot Source: Hi-Rez Studios Releases Latest Update To Tribes: Ascend New Capture The Flag Maps, New Servers, and Badge for Beta Participants ATLANTA.  March 20,  2012.  Today, Hi-Rez Studios introduces another significant update to the Open Beta of the free-to-play fast-action multiplayer shooter Tribes: Ascend. Patch Highlights include: ·  Added Sunstar, a new Capture the Flag map. ·  Temple Ruins, a Capture the Flag map, has been revised based on community feedback and returns to the Quick Play rotation. ·  Additional European servers added.  Region selection includes Europe – London and Europe – Amsterdam. ·  Additional Asian servers added.  Region selection includes Asia – Japan, and Asia – Singapore ·  Server performance optimizations. ·  More polished reticules and HUD icons.  Also, users may now disable unwanted HUD elements using SETTINGS menu. ·  User settings now stored server-side.  Setting may be reset with this patch but settings should be preserved upon future patches. Other balance changes, features, and bug-fixes are detailed in the patch notes. Hi-Rez Studios also announced their intent to reward the very active Beta community.  When Tribes: Ascend officially releases on April 12th, all Beta players who have reached level 10 will receive an exclusive in-game Beta badge. To play Tribes: Ascend Open Beta today visit: http://www.tribesascend.com.  All player progress and unlocks in Beta will be preserved through release with no planned character wipes.

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MMO Updates

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• The Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever
• Turbine reveals shape-shifting DDO Druid class
• Blizzard acknowledges TOR's impact on WoW
• ArcheAge evaluates CBT4 and revs up for CBT5
• The Daily Grind: Would you play a Witcher MMO?
• Not So Massively: Diablo III's competitors speak up and LoL reveals Lulu
• Captain's Log: Focus on the Foundry
• Guild Wars 2 and the evolving narrative of a personal story
• Another one bites the dust: Warhammer Online shuts down another server
• Leaderboard: Betas are a boon vs. betas are a bust
• GDC 2012: Watch Funcom's full The Secret World presentation
• Blizzard's project Titan still in the works
• EVE Online Fanfest 2012 schedule unveiled
• What do you want to know about the next Guild Wars 2 beta?
• Wings Over Atreia: Did someone say 3.0?
• The Firing Line Exclusive: Tribes Ascend utility pack giveaway

The Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever Posted: 20 Mar 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Humor, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Part of me thinks that voice chat is a product of the miraculous and wondrous age we live in. I can still remember when the very idea of the internet seemed like a magical idea. I could search an entire world full of knowledge and ideas at once! The fact that video games have evolved into games where I can log in to a shared world and speak to someone in a real-time discussion is nothing short of astonishing. Most of me, however, really just hates voice chat. I've used voice chat extensively before, and I didn't like it then. I still don't like it now. And for all of the advantages it offers, I can't say it's something that I consider a positive addition to the MMO landscape any more than I'm happy about the widespread adoption of the colloquial term "toon." It might not be a cultural issue that needs to be addressed, but I really hate voice chat. Continue reading The Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever The Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Header Source

Turbine reveals shape-shifting DDO Druid class Posted: 20 Mar 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Classes, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play Turbine has a present for all you would-be shape-shifters out there, and it takes the form of the new Druid class coming with Dungeons and Dragons Online's new Menace of the Underdark expansion. The content drops on June 25th, and the Druid will be available as a premium playable class (and free to VIPs). The Druid is primarily a caster, but he's also proficient with daggers, sickles, staves, and clubs. His signature ability allows him to transform into a winter wolf, a dire bear, a water elemental, or a fire elemental. Each shape has its own set of spells, and the class also features a Druidic oath that boosts resistances to entanglement, poison, and other natural ailments. More info on the expansion is available via Turbine's official website. [Source: Turbine press release] Turbine reveals shape-shifting DDO Druid class originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Blizzard acknowledges TOR's impact on WoW Posted: 20 Mar 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic Is Star Wars: The Old Republic affecting World of Warcraft's subscriber numbers? Well duh, according to Blizzard producer John Lagrave. "Of course people are trying Star Wars -- our development team are trying Star Wars! I'm one of the few people who's still playing it actually, but yeah we've seen a dip in subs. It certainly has to at least be attributable to The Old Republic, but it's also attributable to people who want to wait and get Mists of Pandaria, so it's not surprising," Lagrave tells Eurogamer. He goes on to say that Blizzard is exploring its options when it comes to extending WoW's trial (which currently tops out at level 20), and he also reiterates the fact that free-to-play isn't in the cards for Azeroth. Blizzard acknowledges TOR's impact on WoW originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Eurogamer

ArcheAge evaluates CBT4 and revs up for CBT5 Posted: 20 Mar 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, ArcheAge, Sandbox After 95 days of intense testing, ArcheAge has put an end to the game's fourth closed beta and is evaluating the results in preparation for the next round. XLGAME's Jake Song said to the press that over 2,000 pieces of feedback were gathered from the event and most all of them were directly addressed by the team. ArcheAge's fourth closed beta test expanded the game significantly. Three land regions, four sea zones, siege warfare, pirates, an auction house, the Kraken, and the new Hariharan race were added for players to try out. The team also improved the look of the Ferre race and clarity during character creation. During the event, XLGAMES incorporated a Footprint system into the game that would "mark" a trespasser who attempted to steal another player's resources, such as cutting down trees. One new feature was removed, however. The team had an combustible liquor barrel in the game but yanked it when griefers threw it into the middle of a wedding ceremony and killed everyone. As the devs put a wrap on closed beta four, Jake Song says that they're hard at work preparing for the fifth test. Before that happens, however, the team will attempt to fix many of the bugs that popped up during the last test, improve client downloading speeds, and incorporate instant dungeons and housing improvements. ArcheAge evaluates CBT4 and revs up for CBT5 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: This Is Game

The Daily Grind: Would you play a Witcher MMO? Posted: 20 Mar 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous I've finally conquered CDProjekt's The Witcher 2, and yeah, I'm one of those guys who devours single-player games and thinks about whether they'd make a successful MMO or not. I played the original Witcher RPG many moons ago, and one of the few things I remember about it is the tacky naked wench trading cards. Thankfully, the sequel is a superior (and less juvenile) game in every respect, and in fact it's one of the more impressive PC RPGs I've experienced in a number of years. Yeah, it's high fantasy, but it's fairly original, it's for adults, and it features fascinating lore rife with factional conflict (and a unique take on traditional elves). Would The Witcher 2's cinematic presentation and unforgiving combat translate to a traditional MMO? I don't know, but I'd definitely pay monthly for a Temerian "action MMO" akin to Vindictus. What about you, Massively readers? Would you play a Witcher MMO? 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! The Daily Grind: Would you play a Witcher MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Not So Massively: Diablo III's competitors speak up and LoL reveals Lulu Posted: 19 Mar 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Video, Game mechanics, New titles, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III The big announcement we've all been waiting for has finally arrived: Diablo III has a release date! This week the beta was wiped to prepare for launch, and Blizzard's Jay Wilson responded to questions about the cash auction house in hardcore mode. Competing title Path of Exile continued development toward its own release, and Torchlight II gave players a unique look under the hood of the game with a breakdown of item drop statistics. Runic Games congratulated the Diablo team on its release date announcement and published an open letter to fans urging them to just wait a little longer for their Torchlight fix. In MOBA news, League of Legends revealed its next champion, Lulu, and explored the game's rapidly growing German community. Dota 2 added classic DotA hero Shadow Demon and performed some much-needed tweaks to bots, and Rise of Immortals released the official Azcadelia immortal spotlight. Heroes of Newerth released Gunblade, an original ranged agility carry hero that was been met with some strong disapproval in the community. Blacklight: Retribution's open beta updates continued this week with the release of its Vertigo map, a battleground set in the roofspaces of a sprawling industrial complex. Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III's competitors speak up and LoL reveals Lulu Not So Massively: Diablo III's competitors speak up and LoL reveals Lulu originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Focus on the Foundry Posted: 19 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Captain's Log The Foundry is Star Trek Online's user-generated content tool, one that allows players to create their very own playable missions in the game. Those missions also become available as content to the rest of the playerbase. It's a tool that differentiates STO from most other MMOs and encourages fans to expand on the universe of STO and Star Trek in general. Join me as in this Captain's Log, I focus on the Foundry, some of its missions, and the community that keeps it going. Continue reading Captain's Log: Focus on the Foundry Captain's Log: Focus on the Foundry originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Guild Wars 2 and the evolving narrative of a personal story Posted: 19 Mar 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, New titles, Previews, News items, Guild Wars 2 Guild Wars 2 has promised players a personal narrative from very early in development, but with all of the beta testing and class previews, it's a feature that hasn't seen as much description. So as the game draws ever closer to release, it's a good thing that the most recent development blog is all about the development of a player's personal narrative over the course of gameplay. According to the blog, the choices players make start during character creation and continue from there, resulting in 30 potential story paths just through the starter region alone. Of course, branches alone aren't worth much of anything if they don't lead to some interesting gameplay in the process. The design blog discusses how this works in the Asura starting area, whose designers began with a design document stating that the player needed to investigate two genius golemancers to determine which one was culpable in a crisis. Rather than forcing the player to simply run to two separate locations and have a chat, the staff realized that the two geniuses would be more likely to be interacting at an event -- say, a competition of golems. The refinement goes on from there, with each step refining the narrative and investing the players further to make something more memorable than a simple questioning session. Guild Wars 2 and the evolving narrative of a personal story originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: The Evolution of Narrative

Another one bites the dust: Warhammer Online shuts down another server Posted: 19 Mar 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Warhammer Online, News items, Free-to-play Another round of server merges are coming to Warhammer Online, and this time it's Drakenwald's metaphorical head on the proverbial chopping block. As of tomorrow, March 20th, Drakenwald will be marked as a Legacy server, which will prevent players from creating new characters there. In the meantime, the players who currently populate the server will be able to move to either Karak Norn or Badlands. After three weeks in Legacy status, Drakenwald will be officially retired and any characters remaining on the server will have to be transferred before they can be played. WAR players should know the routine by now, but if you need a refresher, the details can be found on the game's official site. Another one bites the dust: Warhammer Online shuts down another server originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Warhammer Herald

Leaderboard: Betas are a boon vs. betas are a bust Posted: 19 Mar 2012 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Culture, Opinion, Leaderboard For many, betas are the apex of the pre-launch experience. After months and even years of hearing about a title, discussing it rabidly, and scouring the internet for information on it, fans are finally given the chance to try it out for themselves. For many, this is wonderful, a drink of water to a parched gaming soul. For many, but not for all. You see, betas can be a doubled-edged sword, capable of hurting as much as helping. They can be a boon to those who truly want to help a game's development by testing for bugs, they can help players decide if this is a product worth purchasing, and they can assist in getting one's "game legs" before the main event begins. However, betas have been known to foster an environment of entitlement ("Why isn't this game 100% polished? I judge it fail!") while robbing the newness of an MMO that has yet to release. So, overall, do you deem that betas are a boon to the community or a bust? Are they useful tools for both developers and players, or are they nothing but glorified demos that harm more than help? Put your vote where your opinion is after the jump! Continue reading Leaderboard: Betas are a boon vs. betas are a bust Leaderboard: Betas are a boon vs. betas are a bust originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

GDC 2012: Watch Funcom's full The Secret World presentation Posted: 19 Mar 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, Sci-fi, Video, Previews, The Secret World, Massively Event Coverage If you found your appetite whetted for The Secret World after reading Jef's writeup from GDC, then make room in your life for 35 minutes of Funcom's full presentation from the conference! Senior Producer Ragnar Tørnquist, Lead Designer Martin Bruusgaard, and Lead Content Designer Joel Bylos take turns showing off in-game footage and discussing the game mechanics at play. Topics covered in the presentation include character creation, the creepy/sexy Dragon starter experience, how achievements work, story, crafting, and the lands of Transylvania. While the video isn't 100% pristine -- Funcom apologized for the less-than-perfect lighting during the presentation -- it's so chock-full of information and footage that you won't even notice. Give it a whirl after the jump! Continue reading GDC 2012: Watch Funcom's full The Secret World presentation GDC 2012: Watch Funcom's full The Secret World presentation originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

Blizzard's project Titan still in the works Posted: 19 Mar 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, News items, Free-to-play In and around the flurry of news swirling about >World of Warcraft's upcoming Mists of Pandaria expansion, a kind soul has been looking out for everyone waiting for news on the mystery-shrouded project Titan. Tom Chilton, a lead designer for WoW, told The OC Register about the "slow trickle of expertise" from the WoW team into the Titan team. Although he didn't confirm anything, Chilton said that it's possible that the movement of developer talent over to the Titan project may ramp up. Despite laying off about 13 percent of its workforce, Blizzard is still hiring in order to fill the development teams for both WoW and the new project. Chilton says: "I do believe there's room for us to have two highly successful MMO games. I don't feel like there's going to be a time where we just say 'OK, everybody on the WoW team, pack it up you're moving over to the Titan MMO.' I don't see that as being a realistic probability. I think we're going to try to staff up both teams and actually end up with two large, strong MMO teams." Hopefully this sort of talk means that MoP is nearing readiness so the company can give a little more attention to the Titan MMO -- might we someday soon find ourselves with actual, hard facts about this mysterious project? Blizzard's project Titan still in the works originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: The OC Register Via: Total Titan

EVE Online Fanfest 2012 schedule unveiled Posted: 19 Mar 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Events, real-world, News items, DUST 514, Sandbox The days leading up to this year's EVE Online Fanfest are fading quickly, and this weekend, fans of internet spaceships from around the world will descend upon Reykjavik. In light of that, it's probably about time that attendees start planning their schedules, and CCP is here to help them do just that. The full Fanfest 2012 schedule is now up and running, and boy-howdy is it ever packed. In addition to the usual smattering of roundtables and panels, the convention will play host to a number of tournaments, and of course, hands-on time with DUST 514. The full schedule is too cram-packed to even begin to summarize here, so just head on over to the official site and start filling your agendas. EVE Online Fanfest 2012 schedule unveiled originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: EVE Online Fanfest 2012 official schedule

What do you want to know about the next Guild Wars 2 beta? Posted: 19 Mar 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News items, Guild Wars 2 We've triple-checked our paperwork, so we're sure it's safe to tell you: Massively has been invited back for another glimpse of Tyria in the upcoming Guild Wars 2 beta! We'll be jumping back into the action very soon, and we can hardly wait to tell you all about it. While we're busy clearing out our schedules, why not ponder what it is that you want to know? We want to know what you good folks are most interested in having us explore and what kind of specific information you're looking for. Leave us some questions in the comments here or shoot an email to elisabeth@massively.com and we'll do our best to satisfy your curiosity! Additionally, after the NDA lifts early next week, we'll be opening up a Q&A on our livestream to answer other questions that come up and further share our experience. So what are you burning to know? What do you want to know about the next Guild Wars 2 beta? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wings Over Atreia: Did someone say 3.0? Posted: 19 Mar 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Expansions, Patches, Opinion, Free-to-play, Wings Over Atreia You might be a bit weary of hearing about the launch of Aion's next big thing. Then again, maybe you just can't get enough. Everyone in the former group can conclude his reading here because this week's Ascension launch date announcement and subsequent information deluge offered plenty of new tidbits to share. And share I must. It is my civic duty. Previously, we explored the different aspects of 3.0 using the translated Korean patch notes. Those are all well and good for giving us a good basis for what to expect, but there are always little changes in the western release of the game (see instance names), not to mention exact details of some of the systems (like mounts) are lacking. Luckily Aion's newly released official game guide, though incomplete, has new information to pass along to interested Daevas. And let's not forget the unexpected goodness of the impending free-to-play model. Yup, I can definitely find a few more things to chat about there. If you are still reading, then either you had your interest rekindled or you are patiently waiting for me to get to the goods. So let's get on with it! Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Did someone say 3.0? Wings Over Atreia: Did someone say 3.0? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Firing Line Exclusive: Tribes Ascend utility pack giveaway Posted: 19 Mar 2012 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, Giveaways Like Tribes: Ascend? Like the Soldier class? If you answered yes to those questions, Massively and The Firing Line have an exclusive giveaway that you're going to love. We've teamed up with Hi-Rez Studios to bring you the Soldier utility pack, which is an upgrade item that grants an additional grenade slot and additional health (don't worry, balance fans; your Soldier avatar will sacrifice a bit of his energy pool when the pack is equipped). How can I get my hands on this fine item, you ask? It's as easy as clicking on the giveaway button after the break. After you've secured your code, boot up your Tribes client and select "extras" from the in-game menu followed by "redeem promotion." Enter your code in the box and then click over to your Soldier class to swap out your new pack! Continue reading The Firing Line Exclusive: Tribes Ascend utility pack giveaway The Firing Line Exclusive: Tribes Ascend utility pack giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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