General Gaming Article

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• Epic Games Confirms They Are Working on a PC Exclusive
• Rumor: Nvidia Tegra 4 Roadmap Leaks
• Hotel Caught Injecting Banner Ads on “Complimentary” Wi-Fi Network
• Asus Confirms Transformer Prime GPS Issues With New Dongle Accessory Shipping April 16th

Epic Games Confirms They Are Working on a PC Exclusive Posted: 08 Apr 2012 04:49 PM PDT Epic games is known these days for Xbox titles such as Gears of War, however it's sometimes easy to forget they were also one of the all-time greats in the PC arena. The Unreal series pushed the boundaries of competitive multiplayer, and even PC hardware well ahead of anything else of its day. A few select titles such as the original Gears of War and Bulletstorm made their way to the PC, however the controls just didn't transfer well to the mouse and keyboard. Those longing for the good ole days of Epic PC exclusives finally have something to look forward to, with Design Director Cliff Bleszinski confirming the existence of a PC only title to panel attendees at PAX East.  Epic Games president Mike Capps told reporters from Joystiq after the panel that the unannounced PC exclusive they referenced is well underway, and they have no plans to port it to the console now, or anytime in the future. That's not much to go on, however with E3 just a few months away we might not have to wait long to learn more. It is entirely possible the title could also be among the first to show off the capabilities of the next generation Unreal engine. There you have it folks, the Epic of days gone by is finally back. If the game ends up being a free to play MMO based in the Pokemon universe I apologize in advance for getting your hopes up.

Rumor: Nvidia Tegra 4 Roadmap Leaks Posted: 08 Apr 2012 10:15 AM PDT NVidia has a homerun on its hands with the new GTX 680, however in the tablet arena they are still struggling to carve out a niche for themselves. Dozens of Android tablets are sporting the latest and greatest Tegra 3, however Apple claims to have them beat when it comes to graphics horsepower, and we've even heard rumblings that a lack of built in LTE could hamper future OEM adoption. That's not to say the Tegra 3 family isn't great lineup of SoCs, but the factors listed above could be the reason VR-Zone in China has caught wind on the specifications for Tegra 4, codename "Wayne". Marketing 101, if you don't like the discussion, change the subject. The first Tegra 4 chip should arrive in Q1 2013 under the name "T40", and will be a 1.8GHz quad core part. Built in LTE support will arrive in Q3, along with 3 new parts with clock frequencies ranging from 1.2-2.0 GHz. All four SoCs will be based on the ARM Cortex-A15, and are being designed to suit both 7" and 10" tablets. Of course all of this is still unconfirmed by NVidia, and we won't know for sure until Computex in June.  (Image Credit VR-Zone)

Hotel Caught Injecting Banner Ads on “Complimentary” Wi-Fi Network Posted: 08 Apr 2012 09:29 AM PDT If you are like us, no hotel makes the reservation cut until access to free Wi-Fi has been confirmed. The quality and speeds are always a bit of a crap shoot, but it turns out it sub 1Mbps connections isn't the only thing you might need to worry about next time you hit the road. When web developer Justin Watt booked a room at the Courtyard Marriott in Times Square, he noticed something wasn't quite right with the pages he was viewing. After a bit of investigation Watt discovered the hotspot was injecting Javascript code into every webpage. The result? A full banner ad placed smack dab on the top or bottom of every site visited. Watt traced the activity back to a gateway belonging to a company called RG Nets, a firm whose only products involve monetizing Wi-Fi networks. RG Nets website is pretty open with how the technology works, and while it is indeed clever, it's also extremely seedy.  "Arbitrary HTML page rewriting enables the operator to inject static or dynamic advertising onto every web page the end-user views. When combined with a handful of simple rewriting recipes, interstitial advertising and even forced viewing of video content are easily attained". Think that's bad? It isn't the only service they offer. A separate section of the site details ways to selectively profile and throttle individual users, allowing the Hotel to sell heavy users a fast tier of service.  Would these Wi-Fi shenanigans change your opinion of a Hotel? Or do they have the right to monetize their networks? Check out the promotional video and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Asus Confirms Transformer Prime GPS Issues With New Dongle Accessory Shipping April 16th Posted: 08 Apr 2012 08:55 AM PDT The Asus Transformer Prime is far and away one of the most popular Android tablets on the market, and while that isn't saying much, we were still a bit surprised when consumer reports left it off the list of best tablets in favor of the Sony TabletP. It's far from a perfect device, but it does at the very least offer a few innovative features for those who still feel the iPad is an oversized iPod Touch. Owners of the device seem to have relatively few complaints, however the GPS has always been a sore spot. Turn by turn navigation apps have been all but unusable, and teardowns have identified that it may in-fact be a design flaw. Asus on the other hand refused to acknowledge the issue, and presumably were hoping the internet fervor would die down. Cooler heads have prevailed however, and Asus has not only admitted the problem, but they have confirmed that an add on GPS dongle will start shipping on April 16th. Xda-developers who claim to have seen the dongle describe it as "minimalist", and that it connects to the Transformers proprietary connector. We won't know until April 16th if Asus plans to give the accessory away for free, though it seems like the only fair thing to do given the circumstances.

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Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

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• Dungeon Striker (KR)
• PAX: Super T.I.M.E. Force Demonstrates the Chaotic Potential of Elegance
• Gameforumer is looking for MMO Review Writers
• A Kickstart Roundup: Double Fine’s Adventure, Wasteland 2, Shadowrun & More
• Blizzard continues shedding staff in Korea
• Defiance

Dungeon Striker (KR) Posted: 08 Apr 2012 05:39 AM PDT You know it will not be long before Eyedentity Games, the developer of Dragon Nest, reveals its 2nd online title. With Dragon Nest celebrating its 2nd anniversary this year, there can’t be a better time. Introducing Dungeon Striker, a new action MMORPG. It certainly is a give-away with its game title that combat will take place mostly in dungeons. Focusing on even faster action found in Dragon Nest, players are able to attack up to 10 times in 1 second in the game. And notice the cuter design! As you can see in the videos and screenshots, the game has an isometric view, which seems to be very popular nowadays with upcoming games such as Lineage Eternal, the MOBA titles such as Dota 2 and of course, Diablo III. Controls will also be much simpler in Dungeon Striker, with players able to successfully engage in combat and moving around by using just the mouse.  According to the explanation given by the media, characters will automatically attack monsters even when characters are moving, even during PvP. Eyedentity Games touted that they have solved the problem with current action MMOs needing too many active keys, and with Dungeon Striker, players can enjoy intensive combat with gorgeous action effects without much effort. Similar to the system in Diablo III, the dungeon layouts will be randomly generated each time players enter the same one. There are currently over 19 classes (including advancements) in Dungeon Striker, but the twist will be the ability to learn other classes’ skills. For example, a Dark Mage who can heal, a Warrior who can go stealth and place traps. There will be many different combinations of characters in the game. Dungeon Strikers will go into Closed Beta in Korea from 27th April to 29th April. Similar Article: http://www.mmoculture.com/2012/04/dungeon-striker-kr-from-dragon-nests.html No related posts.

PAX: Super T.I.M.E. Force Demonstrates the Chaotic Potential of Elegance Posted: 07 Apr 2012 11:38 PM PDT Max Payne and I go way back. Throughout the series’ first two installments, I was wholly immersed in its stark shadows, smoky atmosphere, and hard-boiled dialogue. I brandished my pistols and dove sideways more times than I could count. I cherished the horror and violence of his revenge as if it were written by Raymond Chandler himself, and yet, a place that I’d never experience Max Payne’s world was online. That void was quickly remedied when I got my hands on a small slice of the multiplayer portion of Rockstar’s next effort, Max Payne 3. MP3 is attempting to destroy the barriers between single and multiplayer in a wide variety of ways. We’ve written about the solo portion before, but this time we got to spend some time in the online Gang Wars. The story in Gang Wars, the most fleshed out mode of multiplayer, runs alongside that of the solo campaign. The skirmishes you take part in online will oftentimes be set moments before Max’s arrival to a location during the story, or sometimes in the charred remains of where his whirlwind tour of revenge previously swept through. While third-person works fine offline, the perspective can oftentimes lead to ineligent combat that feels more like a frantic crapshoot than a strategic faceoff; even phenomenal titles like Red Dead Redemption suffer in moments of intense action. While I was a bit worried that MP3′s multiplayer would stall under the same stress, I’m happy to report that the impeccable energy from the series’ singleplayer campaigns transfers over quite well into the online arena. Yes, there were still a handful of moments where it seemed like my opponent and I both cracked under pressure, especially once combat became an up close affair, but the game remained a controlled experience for the most part. Rockstar showed off a slew of game matches, most of which were slight variations on genre classics like team deathmatch and king of the hill. One unique mode is called Payne Killer, which starts off as a free-for-all until someone scores the first kill. After this occurs, the killer becomes Max Payne, while the victim transforms into his singleplayer sidekick Passos. These two characters come equipped with special weapons, higher health, and unique abilities. It then becomes the task of the remaining players to work together in taking down these two protagonists. Whoever scores the kill against Max or Passos earns the right to play as the powerful hero. This mode encouraged players to work together in short spurts to take down the two powerhouses, but those alliances you make will quickly be severed once one member gets the kill and joins the other side. Similar Article: http://www.1up.com/previews?cId=3186962 Related posts: Nintendo Dubstep Experience 3D Looks to Reinvent the Rhythm Genre PAX: Double Dragon Neon Brings Back the ’80s, But Not in a Good Way Weekend Deals: Fable III, Max Payne, and Deus Ex

Gameforumer is looking for MMO Review Writers Posted: 07 Apr 2012 09:05 PM PDT Hello Dear Gamers, Its about time as we are looking for people who can write reviews relating to MMO RPG Games, we are looking for passionate gamers who play mmo rpg with zeal. We are looking for people who can write reviews and good in English, who can write reviews with not less than 400 words with at least correct grammar and its typos. Please remember, not to copy reviews from other MMO websites as it wouldn’t give you any expertise nor any appeal for other gamers who come and look in and do not copy images from Google.com as you would have lot many good screen shots in the game [a good exposure too]. If you are interested, please send an email to “admin@gameforumer.com” or “staff@gameforumer.com” with a subject head ‘MMO Reviewer’ and a brief Bio about yourself, which MMO’s you have played/playing currently, which country you are from [locale], which language you are proficient with and more and please ensure to include a review of your favorite MMO or any MMO you would like to review with the not less than 400 words and your personal email to which you would like us to contact or keep in touch with you. If we find it appealing and appropriate we will revert back to you and allow you to post in “Gameforumer.com” and your review will live even before we send confirmation letter to your email. Thanks and Regards, Admin and staff of http://gameforumer.com Related posts: New Look on Gameforumer.com Star Wars: The Old Republic free to play this weekend Win Alan Wake Collector's Edition

A Kickstart Roundup: Double Fine’s Adventure, Wasteland 2, Shadowrun & More Posted: 07 Apr 2012 11:39 AM PDT Finally crawled out from under that rock of yours? Confused about what Kickstarter is and why everyone is talking about it? We're here to help. Kickstarter has been around for quite some time now, but since Tim Schafer and Ron Gilbert got together to create their own Kickstarter project the internet has literally (not really) exploded with excitement on all things Kickstarter. But maybe Kickstarter is new to you, or maybe there are projects you've managed to miss out on. So, ever the helpful souls, we figured you'd appreciate a quick rundown of Kickstarter, what it is and which projects you should care about. What Is Kickstarter? As the name suggests, Kickstarter is a crowd-funding website that enables creative projects to be pitched to the internet for a target goal. If you like the sound of a project – whether that's in video games, board games, music, art, food or many other categories – then you can 'back it'. What this means is that you pledge any amount of money to the project in the hopes of reaching the target – often 'purchasing' a final product once it has been funded and created. For gaming you're mostly dealing with indie games, though recently there's been an insurgence of fan-demanded games (like Wasteland 2 or a new, classic Ron Gilbert/Tim Schafer adventure game) become funded. It's a great way for developers to create games they want to that publishers wouldn't otherwise find the value in. When pledging for a video game project you can offer just $1, while increasing tiers of pledges will provide various gifts. Usually a basic $10 pledge will get you a copy of the game once it's been released (since most of these are digital releases anyway) while higher tier pledges – anywhere up to $10,000 – will often provide a special and, in some cases, limited offer. This could be a meal with the developers, a character of your design in the game or a pen-and-paper tabletop game with the original creator of Shadowrun. So what projects should you know about? Double Fine Adventure Funding Goal: $400,000 Final Total: $3,336,371 Status: FUNDED  The Kickstarter project that kickstarted (sorry) the current craze. The project is a classic point-'n’-click adventure by masters of the genre Tim Schafer and Ron Gilbert and will be developed by Double Fine Studios over a period of 6-8 months. Little else is known about the project, but backers will be able to discuss it in their own, private forum and – in some cases – even vote on where the game should go. There are over 87,000 backers. The different pledge tiers will provide backers with a copy of the game, special art and prints, a "DF Adventure Backer" t-shirt and – at the highest tiers – lunch with Tim Schafer and Ron Gilbert and a tour around the Double Fine studio. Wasteland 2 Funding Goal: $900,000 Current Total: $2,119,304 Status: FUNDED Days Left: 10  Wasteland was a classic, isometric RPG and the godfather of post-apocalyptic games, perhaps the reason we're still playing Fallout all these years later. Brian Fargo, the man behind the original Wasteland, pitched this Kickstarter project in order to answer the regular requests he receives from fans and create a game he's always wanted to return to. The game itself will be built by various members of the original Wasteland team. Headed by Brian Fargo, Wasteland 2 will also have Alan Pavlish and Mike Stackpole on board – the original's primary designers – while other original developers are being tracked down. It will be a top-down RPG and "no first-person shooter". It will be turn-based and tactical, with writing that is gritty, grim and satirical. You'll have to face the consequences of your decisions, too. It'll be 6 months pre-production, then 12 months development before it's out – though a private beta will appear on Steam. Takedown Funding Goal: $200,000 Final Total: $221,833 Status: FUNDED  Without a big name attached to it, Takedown likely wouldn't have made it into funding if it wasn't for ex-Infinity Ward, Call Of Duty developer Robert Bowling and his last-minute pledge of $10,000. But that doesn't mean it's not an interesting project. There's a whole host of developers with experience working on Takedown, and they're aiming for a classic, tactical first-person shooter. The type of "old school shooters where thinking meant more than running and gunning or perks". Think the original Rainbow Six. There will be single-player, co-op and multiplayer modes. You'll also need to equip your team with the right tools for the mission and then plan your insertion and routes through the mission. And if a squad-member dies, they're gone. So, very much like Rainbox Six, then. The Banner Saga Funding Goal: $100,000 Current Total: $420,662 Status: FUNDED Days Left:  13 It's a sad day when "ex-BioWare" is more interesting than just "BioWare", but that's just the way it is with the way the developer is going. Anyway, The Banner Saga is a "Tactics" game of old, meaning isometric, grid-based strategic RPG by a group of people who know who to do that. The visuals are reminiscent of a classic 80s cartoon and the theme is around a Viking march to war, but without utilising Norse stereotypes. What does that mean? "Giants: yes. Horned helmets: no" There's an emphasis on story here, while the choices in dialogue will truly affect the story. A mature story that doesn't mean "sex, violence and swearing."  The Banner Saga will also have multiplayer, but it's not clear how that will work. Leisure Suit Larry In The Land Of The Lounge Lizards Funding Goal: $500,000 Current Total: $206,986 Status: Not funded Days left: 25 Despite being on Kickstarter for a little while now, this return of the lewd world of Leisure Suit Larry has yet to get funded. There's still plenty of time for it to make up the rest of the fund for the goal, but most 'big name' projects that we've seen so far have been funded by now. This will be a ultra high-res, totally brand new Leisure Suit Larry point and click adventure game created by Larry creator Al Lowe. There's no mention of a PC version, but since the additional platforms are "XBLA, PSN, Android, iPads, iPhones, Windows Phones, Kindle, Linux and of course, Mac!" it's probably safe to assume that will be the initial platform. It will have fully-voiced characters, the same classic humour of the series and a whole new interface for the genre. Shadowrun Returns Funding Goal: $400,000 Current Total: $627,326 Status: FUNDED Days Left: 21 Except for the Double Fine Adventure – which had the backing of pretty much the entire games industry with the media coverage it got – Shadowrun Returns was the quickest of the Kickstarter projects to reach its target, hitting the goal in only 28 hours. We've talked about Shadowrun Returns before, and what we can expect, but to reiterate – it's a 2D, turn-based RPG set in the Shadowrun universe. And we knew little else about it, until Jordan Weisman took to Kickstarter in a new video to explain just what is involved. It's set in Seattle – the original Shadowrun setting and the location of Mega Drive and SNES versions of the game. It will be an "XCOM-like" game with contextual gameplay, enabling the four realities available to Shadowrun to decide how battles can unfold. There won't be multiplayer, however, despite toying with the idea in a previous update. Yogventures! Funding Goal: $250,000 Current Total: $79,311 Status: Not funded Days Left: 29 The latest high-profile Kickstarter is Yogventures, the video game of the Yogscast – you know, the ones who do those videos about Minecraft you've probably seen. Their game – which will be developed by indie dev Winterkewl Games – will basically be, well, Minecraft. A randomly generated landscape, shapeable terrain, novel building materials, creatures and NPCs, a crafting system and physics mechanics pinning it all together. It's a little more 3D than Minecraft, with deformable terrain by the looks of it and a less of a reliance on cubes but the basic premise is the same. Yogventures, however, much like the videocast that helped spawn the idea, will focus largely on creating your own adventures in a fashion similar to the different theme adventures that the Yogscast undertakes through YouTube. It's not yet funded, but there's plenty of time yet. We wouldn't be surprised if it took off soon. Similar Article: http://www.totalpcgaming.com/general/a-kickstart-roundup-double-fines-adventure-wasteland-2-shadowrun-more/ Related posts: OP-ED: I'm Ecstatic Over Double Fine's New Adventure Game, But I Feel Uncomfortable Donating Shadowrun Returns: Kickstarter Revitalises Classic RPG For PC & iPad Wasteland 2 Kickstarter May Start an Admirable Trend

Blizzard continues shedding staff in Korea Posted: 07 Apr 2012 11:39 AM PDT A couple of weeks ago, Blizzard Entertainment announced laying off around 600 staff globally from the company. Many point towards the sliding number of World of Warcraft users as the main catalyst. Just 5 days ago, it was announced World of Warcraft in Korea will be closing off 10 servers (link) in what is said to be a major sign of the game’s declining numbers in the country of online gaming. Earlier today, foreign reports were pointing to Blizzard Korea shedding off numbers from its staff strength. The Korean arm once had around 330 employees during its heyday, but the number was recently reported to have trimmed down to 230 instead. Following the layoff announcement, the numbers will most probably be around 200 soon. An anonymous staff mentioned that the folks will be working until the end of this month. Before BlizzCon 2011, I read an article by an industry analyst about how Blizzard will suffer if the secretive Project Titan is not announced at the event. To some extent, I think the analyst got it spot on. Similar Article: http://www.mmoculture.com/2012/04/blizzard-continues-shedding-staff-in.html No related posts.

Defiance Posted: 07 Apr 2012 11:39 AM PDT [Game website] Been quite a while since Trion Worlds, the creators of RIFT, teased the gaming world about Defiance. A collaboration with USA TV channel Syfy will see a TV series produced based on the game, but to some extent little was revealed about how the game actually plays. The latest combat trailer was released just hours ago, and it shows a huge team of human players against a huge army of monsters, collectively known as Hellbug Horde. I am sensing Red 5 Studios will have some serious competition now in the PvEvP area where online shooters are concerned. Similar Article: http://www.mmoculture.com/2012/04/defiance-combat-trailer-debuts.html Related posts: Artic Combat ArcheAge (KR) ArcheAge (KR)

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MMO Updates

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• Rise and Shiny: Zandagort
• Previously on MV TV: The week of March 31st
• The Daily Grind: Do you like gaming conventions?
• PAX East 2012: The Secret World demo
• The Mog Log: Head of the newer class
• Massively's Easter event roundup: 2012 edition
• PAX East 2012: Guns of Icarus announces closed beta, details adventure mode
• PAX East 2012: TERA hands-on
• PAX East 2012: Neverwinter discussion and impressions
• The Tattered Notebook: The great big news roundup
• The Road to Mordor: Rise of Isengard report card

Rise and Shiny: Zandagort Posted: 08 Apr 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Rise and Shiny, Livestream Zandagort, a very independent browser-based MMORTS by Zanda Games, really holds a lot of promise. I want to get that out of the way first. Potential, unfortunately, has nothing to do with a player's current experience with the game. No one sits at his PC or laptop and says, "Man, I sure am excited about what this game could be, so I'll keep playing." But that very potential often makes me a little depressed. Potential for good also means potential for bad; if a game is unfinished and has the chance to grow, there's likewise a very real possibility that the game could fester, lose development love, or worse yet, die on the vine. There's no guarantee that even a "AAA" massive-budget game like Star Wars: The Old Republic or RIFT will last forever or even a good amount of time. Who knows? Usually with an indie game, if it isn't shining and picking up an audience relatively quickly, it just might be in trouble. Zandagort has an audience; I can see players in the outer reaches of space. I am not going to pass judgment on the number of players simply because indie budgets are often easily supported by a smaller playerbase, but I wonder what type of audience it is. I am open-minded and enjoy the occasional slog through an intense "spreadsheets-in-space"-style game, but Zandagort really wore down my patience. Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Zandagort Rise and Shiny: Zandagort originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Previously on MV TV: The week of March 31st Posted: 08 Apr 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Video, Events, in-game, Previews, Opinion, Massively Meta, Humor, Livestream, Miscellaneous, Previously on MV TV What a week, huh? We had all sorts of great livestreaming for you to enjoy. If you missed some of the cool things we put on live during the week, no worry! Just check back here every week and you'll be able to recap many of the best moments from our week of live video games. Each week is something new, and this week is no different. We've got quite the variety! This week, we have Mike jamming on some EVE Online and then jumping into RIFT for horrible magical adventures. Richie ventured into the Mists of Pandaria beta for World of Warcraft to show off cute, cuddly, and furry butts while wielding a weapon of destruction! I had to check out some of the good and bad points about Second Life's Linden Homes, free structures that come with any premium account; I also jumped into Luvinia Online to participate in a huge PvP event, and let me just give you two words to entice you to watch: giant chickens. Blake took some time to shoot things in Global Agenda, and finally, we had MJ taking on some Bristlebane quests in EverQuest II, following it up by attacking stuff all over Aion! Check us out! Continue reading Previously on MV TV: The week of March 31st Previously on MV TV: The week of March 31st originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Do you like gaming conventions? Posted: 08 Apr 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous As you read this, PAX East is entering its final day for the year, and the Massively writers have been working on covering the event as best we can. Of course, some people would rather be on the ground instead of reading about the show second-hand because there's nothing quite like the thrill of being knee-deep in a convention. For others, though, the idea of standing around in a convention hall with thousands of other people sounds like a special kind of torture. Do you like gaming conventions? If you do, what's your favorite element of the shows -- the new games, the special giveaways, or just the energy level? If you don't, what bothers you -- the crowds, the spectacle, or the necessity of travel and cramped scheduling? Or are you the sort of person for whom it really depends on the show, i.e., you've been to some you loved and some you couldn't stand? 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: Do you like gaming conventions? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

PAX East 2012: The Secret World demo Posted: 07 Apr 2012 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Events, real-world, Opinion, Hands-on, The Secret World, Massively Hands-on, First Impressions, Massively Event Coverage Funcom's The Secret World has had a big weekend at PAX East with its first public chance for hands-on interaction! It's a game that's been stirring up quite a bit of interest; the classless, level-less progression system, secret societies, and sword-and-automatic-rifle genre-bending are just a few of its selling points. My ears tend to perk up when the game gets mentioned, so of course I was all but falling over myself to hop into the playable demo this weekend. Walking away from that experience, though, I'm unconvinced. Continue reading PAX East 2012: The Secret World demo PAX East 2012: The Secret World demo originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Mog Log: Head of the newer class Posted: 07 Apr 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log The Final Fantasy series, particularly the online installments, is all about class. This is not entirely surprising, since the series has built up a series of character types that, while sometimes kind of random, are beloved just the same. The jumping spear-wielding Dragoons, dual-wielding and sword-throwing Ninjas, the ubiquitous Summoners... if these concepts don't exist in some form within a game, it raises some eyebrows. It's a symptom of the linking the games by certain broad pseudo-mythological concepts rather than by any actual continuity. We've gotten our Job system in Final Fantasy XIV, we've got our classes to the point that they're at least somewhat balanced, and we've got a new version on the horizon. The question, then, is what we're getting next. What new classes or jobs can we look forward to? What do we need? What gaps are obvious within the Final Fantasy pantheon, and what is just lacking in terms of a traditional MMO setup? Continue reading The Mog Log: Head of the newer class The Mog Log: Head of the newer class originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively's Easter event roundup: 2012 edition Posted: 07 Apr 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, EverQuest II, Guild Wars, Events, in-game, MMO industry, RuneScape, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Runes of Magic, Atlantica Online, Vindictus, Dragon Nest, Miscellaneous Whether you're an Easter traditionalist or you simply need an excuse to eat a chocolate bunny, it's that time of year again. It's also time for a few of our favorite MMO devs to don their silly hats and introduce all manner of egg hunts and contests into games like RuneScape, Runes of Magic, and World of Warcraft. That's just the tip of the Easter event iceberg; you'll find several more festively inclined titles in our roundup after the cut. Before you hop on over, have a look at the two bunnies above and repeat after us: d'awww. Continue reading Massively's Easter event roundup: 2012 edition Massively's Easter event roundup: 2012 edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

PAX East 2012: Guns of Icarus announces closed beta, details adventure mode Posted: 07 Apr 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Opinion, Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage, Miscellaneous STEAMPUNK! AHH! OK, now that that's out of my system, let's talk Guns of Icarus Online. This morning, I had the pleasure of meeting with some of the folks from Muse Games at PAX East to talk about the studio's upcoming steampunk-airship-battling title. The title is still in alpha testing, though it will be springing into the early stages of closed beta at some point in the next couple of weeks. At launch, the title will be focused on competitive, match-made PvP matches a la first-person-shooters. But this is Massively, so let's talk MMOs. Strictly speaking, I'd have to say Guns of Icarus Online isn't one -- at least not yet. After the initial match-based "skirmish" mode of the game is released, the studio will continue to support it by slowly adding in "adventure" mode features. Adventure mode is more akin to a traditional MMO in that it provide a more open world for players to navigate and explore, tradeskill and economy systems, missions, towns, and settlements, all within a persistent world. While it remains to be seen whether the game will ultimately become a "true" MMO, this stylish foray into the steampunk/dieselpunk genres is definitely one to watch. Massively's on the ground in Boston during the weekend of April 6-8, bringing you all the best news from PAX East 2012. Whether you're dying to know more about TERA or PlanetSide 2 or any MMO in between, we aim to have it covered! PAX East 2012: Guns of Icarus announces closed beta, details adventure mode originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

PAX East 2012: TERA hands-on Posted: 07 Apr 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, Previews, Opinion, Hands-on, First Impressions, Massively Event Coverage, TERA In the service of Massively's ongoing PAX East 2012 coverage, I spent some time today in and around the TERA booth, ogling the pretty trailers and getting a seat in a group press demo to tackle some fun high-end content in the form of a five-player encounter with an Argon boss. Read on for an overview of what I saw! Continue reading PAX East 2012: TERA hands-on PAX East 2012: TERA hands-on originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

PAX East 2012: Neverwinter discussion and impressions Posted: 07 Apr 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, New titles, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-play, Hands-on, First Impressions, Massively Event Coverage Many words come to mind when you mention Dungeons & Dragons, but "action" is not usually one of them. So at first glance, Neverwinter might seem like a bit of an odd beast. The game is meant as an action-based MMORPG that takes place in the distant future of the beloved Neverwinter Nights series; it's being developed by Cryptic Studios and published by Perfect World Entertainment. While the game isn't yet in open testing, the early version was playable on the floor of PAX East, and we had a chance to sit down with Cryptic Studios to discuss the game's development. I came to the show with no real expectations about the game beyond the fact that I knew the companies involved and was distantly aware of the game's development. I walked away more than a little impressed by what I had seen. However odd the collection of elements might seem, the game itself certainly piqued my interest. Gallery: Neverwinter Continue reading PAX East 2012: Neverwinter discussion and impressions PAX East 2012: Neverwinter discussion and impressions originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Tattered Notebook: The great big news roundup Posted: 07 Apr 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, News items, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Tattered Notebook One thing you just can't say about EverQuest II is that there's a lack of news coming from the game. In fact, there's been so much going on both in game and out that this week's Tattered Notebook is devoted to a great big roundup. We'll look at developer remarks on Skyshrine, tweaks to the AA curve, some nice in-game promotions, and a brief commentary about the ProSiebenSat.1 deal. There's a lot to cover, so let's get to it! Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: The great big news roundup The Tattered Notebook: The great big news roundup originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Road to Mordor: Rise of Isengard report card Posted: 07 Apr 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor It's been a half-year since Lord of the Rings Online's third expansion, Rise of Isengard, opened the doors to Dunland and beyond. It was an interesting expansion compared to what came before in several ways: It finally took us into the pages of The Two Towers, it introduced Rohan and the Rohirrim, and it introduced what I consider to be the most compelling villain this game has seen to date. While the game's hinted and alluded to Saruman and his White Hand back-up dancers leading up to RoI, the expansion finally unveiled the mastermind behind many of the machinations of Middle-earth's mischief. His was not an overt city-crushing type of evil; instead, he's a crafty politician-type who attempts to woo and seduce minds to his cause. More than the Witch-king of Angmar or Sara Oakheart, Saruman gives us a perfect target for our justified outrage. This is a guy we don't want to see succeed, ever. So with six months under our belt, I thought it would be a great time to evaluate as much of Rise of Isengard as I've experienced with the ol' report card treatment. Where does it get good marks -- and where does it need tutoring? Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Rise of Isengard report card The Road to Mordor: Rise of Isengard report card originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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