General Gaming Article

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• Build It: Three Radeon HD 7970s—One Monster PC
• AMD Slashes Radeon 7900 Series Prices, Tosses In 3 Free Games
• Intel Officially Announces Budget-Priced 330 SSD Line
• Western Digital Resurrects VelociRaptor Hard Drive Line with Beastly 1TB Model
• Space Quest Creators Reunite for Another Run at Intergalactic Adventure Gaming
• Google Stares at $25,000 Fine for Impeding Street View Privacy Probe
• Netflix Chief Blasts Comcast on Data Caps and Net Neutrality Shenanigans

Build It: Three Radeon HD 7970s—One Monster PC Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:44 PM PDT X79. CrossFireX. XMP. This month I'm going to build a gaming rig that tears our benchmarks a new one. Or several new ones Editor's Note, 4/16/12: When I built this rig for the April 2012 print edition, the Nvidia GTX 680 had not been released. Also, all prices listed were accurate as of the time this rig was built; many have now dropped.  My first X79 build, back in November 2011, was pretty modest. Well, as modest as a PC with a 1,000-dollar processor can be. It performed well in CPU-intensive benchmarks, but it had only a single GTX 580, so it did about a third as well as top-tier systems in graphics tests. Back when I built that PC, the Core i7-3960X was the only Sandy Bridge-E CPU available to us, and the GTX 580 was the fastest single-GPU card on the market. Well, this time I'm going to build a Sandy Bridge-E system with the new quad-core Core i7-3820 and the new fastest single-GPU videocard on the market: AMD's Radeon HD 7970.  Wait, just kidding. I'm not going to use a 7970. I'm going to use three of 'em! Update: Fixed hard drive name and capacity Triple Your Video Power, Triple Your Fun Since I know I want to use three Radeon HD 7970s in CrossFireX configuration, I'll need an X79 motherboard that supports CrossFireX. Gigabyte's X79-UD5 has three x16 PCIe 3.0 slots, as well as a nifty backup BIOS that (spoiler alert) totally saves my butt later. It also supports the DDR3/2133 XMP profile of my G.Skill Ripjaws Z RAM.  The Core i7-3820 isn't an unlocked part, but I can still get an easy Turbo Boost overclock to 4GHz with it, and it has to share a chassis with three Radeon HD 7970s, which put out a lot of heat. So I'm using Noctua's NH-D14 SE2011, an exceptional air cooler. All these beefy components need room, air, and power. For the first two needs I'm going with NZXT's Switch 810 chassis. It's big, roomy, good-looking, and has plenty of fan support. I especially like the pivoting drive-bay fan mounts that can aim cool air directly at the videocards, and I'm going to add a fan to the lower one. I'm also going to need a powerful PSU with enough juice for my rig; Silverstone's Strider Gold 1200W is fully modular and can support all three GPUs and my slightly overclocked proc, too.  A speedy 256GB Samsung 830 Series SSD makes for a good Windows drive, and a 3TB Seagate Barracuda will sit in the Switch 810's hot-swap bay.  Hardware Highlights Aside from a few steps, this is a pretty standard build, so I'll skip the complete step-by-step and just call out a few interesting steps on the way. For the most part, you'll be fine following the case and motherboard instructions.  Installing the Cooler Thanks to the integrated backplate on the LGA2011 socket, it's not necessary to preinstall the CPU cooler before you install the motherboard. I put the CPU and RAM in my board and installed it in my case before I put in the cooler. One word of caution: If you're not using the RAM I used, make sure the heat spreaders aren't too tall; the Noctua NH-D14 cooler overhangs some of the RAM slots and can conflict with oversized RAM heat spreaders.  To install the NH-D14, first mount the four double-ended thumbscrews into the screws on the socket, then install the crossbeams and secure them with the included nuts. Once the mounting bracket is in place, apply a dot of thermal paste the size of a small pea to the center of the CPU. Remove the cooler's center fan and place the cooler on the heatsink such that the spring screws line up with the posts on the crossbar. Tighten the spring screws, alternating screws each few rotations until the screws stop turning. Reattach the fan, making sure it's pointing the same direction as the front fan, plug both fans into the Y-cable, and plug it into the CPU_FAN header. Next up: Installing the fans and video cards!     Adding a Fan The Switch 810 has a decent array of stock fans, but I have three GPUs super-heating the air and I want to make sure they're adequately ventilated. I really like the pivoting fan mounts on the backs of the two hard drive cages, but only the top one has a fan preinstalled, so I'm going to add one to the bottom cage, as well.  Remove the thumbscrews at the top and bottom of the drive cage and pull it out of the chassis. Use fan screws to install the fan into the mount—only the top two mounting holes will be used. Adjust the fan so that it's pointing up where the GPUs will be and reinstall the cage into the case. Run the fan cable behind the motherboard tray and plug it into the fan controller there.  Installing all the GPUs Because they take up so much room in the case, I installed the GPUs last—after I installed the DVD burner, hard drive, and SSD, after I mounted the PSU and connected all the power cables, even after I connected the case's front panel connectors.  Install the topmost GPU into the topmost x16 PCIe slot, then the other two in order. You should have three PCIe power cables from the PSU, with an 8-pin and a 6-pin power connector on each. Connect one cable per videocard, making sure to power both the 8- and 6-pin connectors on each card. Use one CrossFire bridge to connect the first and second videocards, and another to connect the second and third, as shown. Next up: Benchmarks and conclusion!     Joining the One Percent Once the machine was built and the wiring tidied up a bit, I fired it up and installed Windows and all the drivers, then I updated the BIOS to the latest version and did a bit of overclocking. Well, my first attempt at updating the BIOS corrupted it. Fortunately the Gigabyte board automatically restored the BIOS from its backup, and I was able to successfully update that. A simple multiplier overclock brought the proc to 4GHz—not very ambitious, but very safe. I also made sure my RAM was set to its XMP profile timing of DDR3/2133. These efforts gave me modest improvements over the stock-clocked state in the CPU- and memory-bound benchmarks.  So how does my CrossFireX rig stack up? Against our aged zero-point it's a slaughter: anywhere from 15 to 32 percent faster in CPU-bound benchmarks, and a whopping 238 percent improvement in STALKER: Call of Pripyat and 92 percent in Far Cry 2. So to make things interesting, I also tested it against our 2011 Dream Machine.  In CPU tests, the Dream Machine clearly has the edge—namely, a 20 percent clock advantage. With its unlocked 2600K overclocked to 4.8GHz, it crushed the i7-3820 in this month's rig, which was a whopping 23 percent slower than its older rival in MainConcept Reference and 12 percent slower in Vegas Pro 9. In graphics-bound tests, though, the Dream Machine is dethroned. The triple Radeon HD 7970s proved their mettle against even Superclocked GTX 580s, with 13 percent gains in Stalker and 24 percent in Far Cry 2. The triple 7970s are so powerful, actually, that they edge out the dual overclocked GTX 590s found in the CyberPower Fang III reviewed in this issue (page 76). That's triple CrossFireX beating quad SLI!  As if that weren't impressive enough, this rig puts out the second-highest 3DMark 11 Extreme score of any machine we've tested, at X7,619. That's just a tiny bit below the X7,785 set by the Maingear rig we tested in February 2012. And Unigine Heaven 2.5? Try 75.4fps with all settings maxed out. That's 5fps more than the dual Asus Mars II cards (quad GTX 580s) in the Maingear. For reference, the mighty Dream Machine's three 580 cards came in at X5,863 in 3DMark and 43.4 fps in Heaven. True, the rig I've built lacks water-cooling, a Blu-ray drive, or scads of storage. It's also got a CPU with a modest overclock. But thanks to the extraordinary performance of its three Radeon HD 7970s, it's a hell of a lot of rig for under $3,400.

AMD Slashes Radeon 7900 Series Prices, Tosses In 3 Free Games Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:40 AM PDT A handful of things in life are certain: death, taxes (you better hurry!) and, after seeing the Nvidia GTX 680 drop for just $500, the eventual lowering of AMD Radeon 7900 series prices. That was the common theory, anyways, but several weeks have passed with nary a word from AMD. Could conventional wisdom be wrong? Nope! AMD was just biding its time. Today, the company slashed the prices of not only the 7900 series GPUs, but the low-end Radeon 7770, too. Rumors about the impending price drop popped up last Friday, and this morning, LegitReviews reported was the first to report that AMD officially launched its new "Three for Free" advertising blitz. WTF is that, you ask? AMD is tossing in copies of Nexuiz, Deus Ex: Human Revolution and DiRT Showdown with every 7900 series graphics card sold "through select etailer and retailer partners." Not too shabby, especially when paired with a price cut. Said price cuts were fairly substantial, too; going forward, the Radeon 7970 will cost $480, while the 7950 "is now an impulse buy away" (according to AMD) at $400. The Radeon 7770, meanwhile, got tossed into the sub-$150 bin with an MSRP of $140. It looks like the 7800 series is staying put at $250 to $350, at least for now. Lower prices, free games and much more widespread availability is a heck of a combined punch to throw at Nvidia. Do you think the trio of benefits will sway would-be GTX 680 buyers back into AMD's corner?

Intel Officially Announces Budget-Priced 330 SSD Line Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:11 AM PDT Remember back in the beginning of the month, when etailer leaks suggested that the low-price Intel 330 SSD was supposed to drop on Friday the 13th? Those leaks were wrong -- but only slightly. Intel took an extra weekend to put its products in place and today -- that's the 16th, not the 13th -- Chipzilla announced that the budget priced SSDs are now available. One even breaks the $100 MSRP barrier. The date might've been off, but the pricing and size details of the leaks proved to be spot on: the 330 SSD line includes a 60 GB drive for $89, a 120 GB drive for $149 and a 180 GB drive for $234. All are backed by a 3 year warranty and are based off of Intel's 25nm MLC NAND tech. Spec-wise, we're looking at a 6Gbps SATA 3.0 interface, 500/450MBps sequential read/write speeds, and 22.5k/33k random read/write IOPS. Any takers?

Western Digital Resurrects VelociRaptor Hard Drive Line with Beastly 1TB Model Posted: 16 Apr 2012 07:22 AM PDT Back in the day (as in, before solid state drives), Western Digital's VelociRaptor line was the cat's meow in terms of high speed storage. Fast and expensive, VelociRaptors were the tool of choice by power users willing to drop a bit of extra coin for better performance. Flash forward to today and you'll find SSDs are the popular option among power users, but just like billionaire InGen CEO John Hammond brought back dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, Western Digital has injected new DNA into its VelociRaptor line and is now shipping its most capacious mutation to date. The new VelociRaptor 1TB features a 10,000 RPM spindle speed that remains the fastest of any consumer level hard drive. It also boasts a SATA 6Gbps interface and 64MB cache buffer, and consumes less idle power and uses similar active power as previous generation VelociRaptor models. "WD is committed to providing customers with the best performing and most reliable SATA hard drives and our WD VelociRaptor family of drives underscores that promise," said Darwin Kauffman, vice president and general manager of WD's enterprise storage. "With ever-increasing demand for greater capacity, the new 1 TB WD VelociRaptor drive delivers the ultimate combination of speed and storage for the power user." The updated VelociRaptor drives are 2.5 inches and ship in an IcePack enclosure with a 3.5-inch mounting frame and built-in heatsink. WD's 1TB (WD1000DHTZ) is priced at $320, while 500GB (WD5000HHTZ, $210) and 250GB (WD2500HHTZ, $160) models are also available. All three are backed by a 5-year warranty. Image Credit: Western Digital

Space Quest Creators Reunite for Another Run at Intergalactic Adventure Gaming Posted: 16 Apr 2012 07:00 AM PDT Could it actually be that adveture gaming is seeing a resurgence in an era where first person shooters and MMORPGs reign supreme? In actuality, adventure games have always been available, including continuations of classics picked up by Telltale Games, but let's face it, the genre doesn't enjoy the same mass market appeal that it once did. Regardless, familiar faces in the adventure gaming industry are starting to pop up, including those Two Guys from Andromeda who created the Space Quest series by Sierra On-Line. Otherwise known as Mark Crowe and Scott Murphy, these two gaming legends are teaming up once again "after a brief 25-year hiatus" to build a new space adventure (or "Spaceventure") title with the "same style of comedy, wonder, and excellence you expect from a Two Guys adventure." The end result won't be another Space Quest game, but a whole new sci-fi themed adventure, according to a somewhat awkward video the Two Guys posted. Aside from that, details are nearly non-existent, possibly because it's all still being fleshed out. In the meantime, Mark and Scott are hiring for a number of positions, most of which have already been filled, though openings still remain for a 3D Character Artist, Senior Game Developer, and Sound Designer. Old school adventure gamers unwilling to let go of the past have a lot to be excited about. In addition to Sierra's Space Quest creators teaming back up, Al Lowe, creator of Leisure Suit Larry, another Sierra title from yesteryear, is trying to raise $500,000 via Kickstarter to build a reloaded Larry 1 game with updated graphics and humor. If you'd like to stay updated on the new Spaceventure title, you can bookmark this website Scott and Mark put up.

Google Stares at $25,000 Fine for Impeding Street View Privacy Probe Posted: 16 Apr 2012 06:30 AM PDT Google's market capital is over $200 billion, and shares of the search giant sell for about $625 a pop. Why is this relevant? Well, let's just say that a $25,000 fine wouldn't exactly be painful to Google. In fact, it would barely register as a prick, yet it's the amount the Federal Trade Commission is seeking after accusing the sultan of search of acting like one, or more specifically, for 'impeding' an investigation into how it collects personal and private data, including emails and text messages, through its Street View service. The FCC filed a 25-page report on Friday in which it said Google "willfully and repeatedly violated commission orders" while the probe was going on. "For many months, Google deliberately impeded and delayed the bureau's investigation by failing to respond to requests for material information and to provide certifications and verifications of its responses," the report said. It's the latest in what's becoming a long line of privacy complaints against Google. According to Bloomberg, just last year the search giant agreed to two decades of independent privacy audits to settle a suit by the FCC over its privacy policy violations related to its Buzz social network. For this go-round, Google admits to handling things poorly, but says it never ran afoul of the law. "It was a mistake for us to include code in our software that collected payload data, but we believe we did nothing illegal," Google told Bloomberg in an email. "We have worked with the relevant authorities to answer their questions and concerns." As far as the FCC is concerned, Google acted like a jerk during the probe by delaying its search for emails and for refusing to identify the employees involved. However, rather than push for action against Google's Street View service, the FCC will seek a $25,000 fine, the maximum allowable for not cooperating with an investigation. Image Credit: Flickr (sanchom)

Netflix Chief Blasts Comcast on Data Caps and Net Neutrality Shenanigans Posted: 16 Apr 2012 05:40 AM PDT At this point in the game, Netflix Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings puts little effort into hiding his disdain for Comcast, the largest cable operator and Internet service provider in the U.S. He's complained about Comcast before and the favoritism the ISP gives its own Xfinity Streampix service over Netflix, and he decided to dole out a mini rant over the weekend using Facebook as his soapbox. Hastings' issue with Comcast is that, in his opinion, the ISP is "no longer following net neutrality principles." He explains it like this. Comcast no longer following net neutrality principles. Comcast should apply caps equally, or not at all. I spent the weekend enjoying four good Internet video apps on my Xbox: Netflix, HBO Go, Xfinity, and Hulu. When I watch video on my Xbox from three of these four apps, it counts against my Comcast Internet cap. When I watch through Comcast's Xfinity app, however, it does not count against my Comcast Internet cap. For example, if I watch last night's SNL episode on my Xbox through the Hulu app, it eats up about one gigabyte of my cap, but if I watch that same episode through the Xfinity Xbox app, it doesn't use up my cap at all. The same device, the same IP address, the same Wi-Fi, the same Internet connection, but totally different cap treatment. In what way is this neutral? Comcast only recently launched its competing Xfinity app for the Xbox 360 and Hastings isn't the only one to question the ISP's data cap exception. in a related FAQ, Comcast likens the streaming service to that of a traditional cable television service, saying the combination of an Xbox 360 and the Xfinity app essentially act as an additional cable box, therefore its data cap doesn't apply. It's a weak excuse, but it is what it is. The issue here, at least for Comcast, is that Netflix accounts for most of the traffic that flows over its content delivery network, Level 3. At one point, Comcast wanted Level 3 to pay a fee for sending all this traffic over Comcast's network, a move that prompted Level 3 to accuse Comcast of wanting to set up a "toll booth." When asked about the pressure cable companies are under to cope with Netflix's growing traffic, Hastings earlier this year scoffed at the notion. "That 92 percent Comcast operating margin is really under a lot of pressure... There is no financial pressure on ISPs," Hastings said, according to CNet. "They are making a fortune." Do you think Hastings has a legitimate beef with Comcast, or is this what competition is all about?

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MMO News

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• HeroSmash
• Arctic Combat
• Champions Online releases On Alert
• Spirit Tales reveals Gold Kirin Tribe
• Firefall Gameplay – First Look HD
• MMOHut Weekly Recap #81 Apr 15 – Karos Online, Combat Arms, Aion, & More
• RODE hosts month-long special events
• Tribal Wars puts Speed Championship in Knockout
• Blacklight Retribution releases Helodeck
• Aeria Games launches two new web games

HeroSmash Posted: 16 Apr 2012 04:13 PM PDT In HeroSmash, you create a hero or villain to help your side to victory. Fully customize your character, skills, and more while participating in cooperative play in real time. Play for free, right in your browser, from the people that brought you AdventureQuest and DragonFable. Become the greatest hero (or villain!) ever. Publisher: Artix Entertainment Playerbase: ?? Graphics: Medium Type: MMO EXP Rate: ?? PvP: Available Filesize: ?? Pros: +Colorful graphics. +Fully customizable. +Casual play. Cons: -Requires payment to access certain features. -Not much information currently available. Overview HeroSmash Overview HeroSmash allows the player to create a hero or villain, and do missions to build their skills. Each character is fully customizable with costumes and powers, allowing a great deal of freedom and creativity. The game features on-going releases, cutscenes, and cooperative game play with real time battles as well. HeroSmash Screenshots HeroSmash Featured Video Click here to view the embedded video. Full Review HeroSmash Review Coming Soon… Screenshots HeroSmash Screenshots Coming Soon… Videos HeroSmash Videos HeroSmash Official Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. Links HeroSmash Links HeroSmash Official Site System Requirements HeroSmash Requirements Coming Soon . . .

Arctic Combat Posted: 16 Apr 2012 03:49 PM PDT When fuel resources are found in the Arctic, two world superpowers begin an all out war to claim them. In Arctic Combat, you play a soldier on either side of the conflict, seeking to gain glory and dominance for your army. Utilizing the Unreal Engine 2.5, Arctic Combat lets a wider variety of players get into the action, without sacrificing graphical quality. Which side will emerge victorious in this world war? Publisher: Webzen Playerbase: ?? Graphics: High Type: MMOFPS EXP Rate: ?? PvP: Yes Filesize: ?? Pros: +Fast paced gameplay. +Many special features setting the game apart. Cons: -Looks similar to other tactical shooters.  -Familiar theme (Russians are the bad guys.) -Not enough information available. Overview Arctic Combat Overview Arctic Combat is an MMOFPS with several interesting features. The game offers drops from players, enemies and allies alike, in order to replenish your stock during combat. There are also active and passive skills to be learned. Trophies also exist that give unique looks, and provide powerful stats to aid players. There is also an auction system to allow trade of trophies, and other weapons. Finally, the game offers various missions, which are like quests in many RPGs. Arctic Combat Screenshots Arctic Combat Featured Video Click here to view the embedded video. Full Review Arctic Combat Review Coming Soon… Screenshots Arctic Combat Screenshots Coming Soon… Videos Arctic Combat Videos Arctic Combat Story Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. Links Arctic Combat Links Arctic Combat Official Site System Requirements Arctic Combat Requirements Coming Soon . . .

Champions Online releases On Alert Posted: 16 Apr 2012 03:26 PM PDT Cryptic Studios and Perfect World Entertainment have released the new On Alert update for Champions Online. On Alert updates several core systems of the game, and introduces new systems as well. To start with, Statistics, Roles, and Super Stats are designed to harmonize and balance better. The entire game has been re-itemized, improving rewards from levels 1-40 to offer more meaningful progression rewards. Each Champion can now partake in Specializations, available at level 10, which offer further customization options for each hero. A new Alerts system calls on players to respond to villainous situations, meeting old and new foes including the player’s Nemesis. A Recognition system grants players reputation with various factions that can be used to purchase special costume pieces, travel powers, new gear, and more. The Questionite, a time-based currency, is granted for completing missions and daily quests, which can then be spent in the Questionite Store or traded with others for Cryptic Points.  Finally, a Modifications and Fusion system allows players to modify their gear, or fuse together modifications, to enhance their gear the way they prefer. Cryptic Studios also publishes Star Trek Online. Champions: On Alert Trailer Source: Champions: On Alert updates many of the core systems of Champions Online, strengthening the foundation of the game. This update also introduces several new systems, including Questionite, Recognition, and the all new Alerts System. Features Systems Update – We've updated the way most Statistics, Roles, and Super Stats work to improve the way statistics work together and provide for better game balance in the future. Additionally, we've re-itemized the entire game, improving the rewards available from levels 1-40, providing not only increased power, but also more meaningful rewards from both world drops and quests. Specializations – These new specializations allow for even greater customization for your Champions Online character – players can become even stronger than before! Unlocked at level 10, Specializations give you all you need to make an even more unique hero. Alerts – Focused on classic super villain confrontations, the new Alerts system allows players to come face to face with an array of old and new super villains, stopping them cold in their tracks! You might catch them in the middle of a robbery, kidnapping, wreaking havoc, or taking advantage of an unlikely situation to bring them even more power! Keep an eye out for your Nemesis and some new teams of Villains as well! Recognition – Champions will now be able to build up Recognition with various heroic factions in the Champions Universe and can use their newly found clout to purchase various rewards, including special costume pieces, travel powers, and powerful new gear. Questionite – A new time-based currency, players will earn Questionite for completing missions in game, daily quests, and other activities. Players may then use their Questionite to purchase in-game items through the Questionite Store, or trade it to other players for Cryptic Points! Modifications & Fusion – Our new Modifications and Fusion Systems further enhance the customizability of Champions Online. Through this new system, players will be able to modify their gear, customizing it with new modifications to provide more of the statistics they want, as well as fuse modifications together to create even more powerful mods.

Spirit Tales reveals Gold Kirin Tribe Posted: 16 Apr 2012 03:11 PM PDT With days ticking away until Spirit Tales’ open beta (April 25), KoramGame has released new information about the Gold Kirin Tribe. The Gold Kirin Tribe, which values and harmonizes with nature, features the Fighter and the Shaman. The Fighter is a melee combat class that may use Swords (allowing them to also use shields for defense), Katanas, and Fist Weapons. The Shaman is a healing/support class that can use the Wand (allowing the use of Shields) or the Staff. Both classes feature naturalistic and elemental attacks, sure to put a wallop to their enemies. You can see more about these classes in the image below.

Firefall Gameplay – First Look HD Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:58 PM PDT To Learn More About the Game, Check out our Firefall Page. Firefall is a 3D MMO shooter published by Red5 Studios. Unlike most F2P shooters, Firefall aims to provide an open world shooter experience for both PvE and PvP purposes. The game’s NDA was recently lifted and we were able to show off the starting area within Firefall. Firefall features an independent class leveling system where you can switch to another class while on the same character, similar to Eden Eternal’s class system. Depending on your preferred playstyle, the game can be played from either a first Person or third person perspective. The game is currently in closed beta. To learn more about Firefall out the official MMOHut Firefall page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

MMOHut Weekly Recap #81 Apr 15 – Karos Online, Combat Arms, Aion, & More Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:48 PM PDT A quick look and discussion for every major announcement and update during the week! This week we discussed updates from the following games:  Karos Online, Divina, Eden Eternal, Combat Arms, Blacklight Retribution, Spirit Tales and Aion. The biggest news comes from the announcement that Aion has now gone completely F2P in North America. Earlier this year Aion went F2P in Europe but NcSoft held off on releasing Aion F2P in NA until the 3.0 update could be pushed at the same time. Unlike the EU F2P Aion, the NA features no restrictions on things such as trading and the use of the chat/mail systems. You can view all the individual news articles mention over at the MMOHut.com News section.

RODE hosts month-long special events Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:08 PM PDT RODE (Rise of Dragonian Era) has announced a series of events that run until May 9. The events include: - Welcoming Beginners: All new players will start with a special supply pack that includes a potion box, enchantment set, and equipment from level 5 to 30. - Level Up: Players will get a special item (including buffs, accessories, and abilities) every five levels – including a Super Premium 5 Days at level 35. - Attendance Rewards: For the first 30 days a player plays RODE, they will earn prizes through seven intervals between the first and thirtieth day, that include spell scrolls, elixirs, beads, and storage tickets. - Free Dragon Coins: Players earn one coin every 30 minutes, two coins for every Region War win, and one coin for every Region War loss. Seven of these coins can be used to roll for prizes including a free 30-day Premium account to 5,000 EXP bonuses to scrolls and more. - Rush Hour: Every day, between 7-10am Pacific and 1-3pm Pacific, players can snag a 20% experience bonus. RODE is published by MGame (Netgame), which also publishes Cloud Nine and Scions of Fate. RODE Gameplay Screenshot

Tribal Wars puts Speed Championship in Knockout Posted: 16 Apr 2012 11:24 AM PDT Tribal Wars has begun the Knockout Phase for its International Speed Championship 2012. The Speed Championship features players from all Tribal Wars language versions, and pits them in national championships until the 2012 Ultimate Speed Champion is revealed. The championship games are held at about 300-400 times the normal speed of Tribal Wars sessions, which means matches take place over hours. The Knockout round will pit sixteen national teams (of 20 players each) against each other in speed matches to push them to the quarter finals. The United States team will be facing off against the Czech Republic for its spot in the final eight. Tribal Wars is published by InnoGames, which also publishes Grepolis and Forge of Empires. Tribal Wars Gameplay Screenshot  Source: Tribal Wars: Speed Championship goes into Knockout Phase National teams fight for the title of the Ultimate Speed Champion Hamburg, April 16, 2012. Today InnoGames’classic online game Tribal Wars started a Knockout Phase for its International Speed Championship 2012. Sixteen National Teams of 20 players face off in speed matches, fighting to reach the quarter finals. The German team is set to face Denmark; USA will fight the Czech Republic for a space in the final eight. The Speed Championship 2012 is an international tournament between players from all Tribal Wars language versions. The Teams compete in various matches, until the 2012 Ultimate Speed Champions is revealed. The browser game, normally set for sessions that can last several months or even years, will be increased to 300-400 times the normal speed, allowing for matches to be settled within hours. In order to keep updated about fight schedules and game rules, players can go to the Speed Championship homepage, www.tribalwarsmasters.net. Tribal Wars places the player as leader of a small village, striving for power and glory. In order to build a strong empire and conquer other villages, players must unite with powerful allies and found a mighty tribe. Its vast game worlds and varied tactical opportunities make Tribal Wars one of the most popular browser-based games in the world, with 44 million registered users playing it in over 30 languages. With more than 75 million registered players, InnoGames is one of the world’s leading developers and providers of online games. The Hamburg-based company has scored major successes with games such as Tribal Wars, The West and Grepolis.

Blacklight Retribution releases Helodeck Posted: 13 Apr 2012 10:08 PM PDT Perfect World Entertainment has released the new Helodeck map for Blacklight Retribution. The new map features a close quarters map in a hangar array, based off the original training facility in the game. The team hints that LMGs and SMGs will excel in the battle zone. The map offers many raised positions for an overview of the field, and makes Hardsuits difficult to use due to the map’s fast pace. Perfect World Entertainment also publishes Forsaken World and Rusty Hearts. Blacklight Retribution Gameplay Screenshot  Source: Announcing Blacklight’s first new map release since Live Launch – Helodeck! Helodeck is an intense close quarters combat map, which takes place in a hangar array that Agents may be familiar with during their time in the training facility. Agents with shotguns, LMG's and SMG's built specifically for up close and personal engagements will excel in this area, as many encounters will take place in smaller, enclosed areas. There are also raised positions that allow for commanding views of several floors of the map. Calling down Hardsuits on this map will be challenging, due to the fast paced nature of this battlefield.   Log in and play a few rounds on this new map today!

Aeria Games launches two new web games Posted: 13 Apr 2012 05:27 PM PDT Aeria Games has added two new browser-based MMOs to its platform: Crystal Saga and Roll n Rock. Crystal Saga features multiple classes, pet taming, special auras and wings, and open world PvP. Roll n Rock features a cartoon-world with visual effects, customized gear, multiplayer puzzles, quests, guilds, and more. Aeria Games also publishes Golden Age and DDTank on Aeria Now, its portal for browser-based games. Ed Correction: We initially named the second game “Rock n Roll.” The game’s correct name is “Roll n Rock” and has been updated. Crystal Saga Gameplay Screenshot  Source: Aeria Games Launches Two Stunning New Browser Based MMO Titles, Crystal Saga and Roll n Rock Embark Upon a Competitive and Charming Adventure in Popular Free-to-Play MMO Games Released in North America   SANTA CLARA, Calif. – April 13, 2012 – Aeria Games, a leading global publisher of free-to-play online games, today announced the North American launch of two new browser-based massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, Crystal Saga and Roll n Rock. Available now, these action-filled games are free-to-play and will not require a download. Crystal Saga players begin their adventure in the mystical world of Vidalia by taming pets, refining skills, and embarking on a journey to find the legendary pieces of the Crystal of Life. Players compete with their friends in action-packed player versus player (PvP) battles, gain mythical equipment, and explore captivating surroundings. Crystal Saga features: · Extensive PvP Gameplay: Crystal Saga is an open world for competitive PvP matches. Players can switch between five PvP modes to bring the game's thrilling combat to life. These include Peace mode, Justice mode, Evil mode, Guild mode, and Party mode. · Multiple Classes: Crystal Saga brings a range of special abilities in classes such as Knight, Rogue, Priest, Ranger, and Mage. Each class offers a unique set of strengths that prepare players for battle. · Pets, Soul, and Wings: Players can tame a variety of pets and train them to enter battle and assist with killing monsters. Players can also unlock their soul and earn a special aura or equip their character with elaborate wings. Crystal Saga also features dangerous monsters, treacherous dungeons, and much more. Interested players can learn more about Crystal Saga and register to play at: http://crystalsaga.aeriagames.com. The second exhilarating game, Roll n Rock, features playful cartoon graphics, stunning special effects, and accessible controls. The diverse gameplay results in exciting combat and thrilling action. However, even more varied are Roll n Rock's countless clothing and customization options, ensuring no two characters will ever look alike. Roll n Rock features: · Vibrant graphics: Fresh, lively colors welcome new players to the game and encourage them to begin exploring. Players will find a fully-realized world of weddings, malls, game halls, and more. · Customized gear: Players choose from a variety of unique options for clothing and accessories, and then boost the equipment's power by refining and enchanting it. Almost anything can be used to get that competitive edge! · Edge-of-your-seat effects: A range of dynamic visual elements were integrated into the gameplay to provide a thrilling feast-for-the-eyes. Roll n Rock also features multiplayer puzzle action, plentiful maps, countless quests, guilds, crafting, and more, all packed into a free to play, no-download-required package. Interested players can learn more and register to play at http://rollnrock.aeriagames.com.

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MMO Updates

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• PlanetSide 2 fan trailer delivers fan service
• Wings Over Atreia: 3.0 -- it's heeere!
• LotRO launches its Fifth Anniversary Festival
• MV Guide: April 16 - 22, 2012
• The Daily Grind: What outdated game mechanic should be retired from MMOs?
• A land corrupted and a city under seige: A look at GU63 with the EQII team
• MMO Week in Review: TORtanic
• A Rakghoul plague has broken out across the galaxy of SWTOR
• EVE Evolved: Fixing the wardec system
• One Shots: Internet spaceships

PlanetSide 2 fan trailer delivers fan service Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, PlanetSide 2, Sandbox Sony Online Entertainment hasn't shown much in the way of PlanetSide 2 video footage aside from the GDC demo and a recent alpha clip, so anxious fans are turning to their own devices in order to get their three-faction open-world sci-fi fix. A user named Nax has cut together a two-minute clip and posted it on both YouTube and the PlanetSide Universe forums. The short makes good use of the alpha video as well as some pre-existing teaser trailer footage in order to showcase PS2's frenetic action and large environments. We also get a stirring soundtrack compliments of Thomas Bergersen (one half of the prolific trailer-music duo known as Two Steps from Hell). Check out the goods after the break. Continue reading PlanetSide 2 fan trailer delivers fan service PlanetSide 2 fan trailer delivers fan service originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: PlanetSide Universe

Wings Over Atreia: 3.0 -- it's heeere! Posted: 16 Apr 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Aion, Expansions, Patches, Opinion, Free-to-play, Wings Over Atreia Awwwww yeah! Update 3.0, baby! Come to me, features. Like Christmas for a five-year-old, this day seemed like it would never arrive for those of us who have been waiting for Aion's patch for what feels like forever. And ever. And then some. Aion: Ascension certainly took its jolly sweet time getting here, but now it finally has. Even better, you don't have to dodge creepy clowns or be sucked into a television screen to enjoy it. Now the question is, is the product really worth the hype? I know I have certainly dished out a fair portion of hype in Wings Over Atreia over the past couple of months while sharing my excitement. Too many delectable features were on the menu, things that would breathe more life into the game, for me not to indulge a bit. But as with any hype, there is always a chance for things to not live up to expectations. So is the new patch as grand and glorious as hoped? After my first few days in game, my answer is a definite... Gallery: Aion: Ascension Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: 3.0 -- it's heeere! Wings Over Atreia: 3.0 -- it's heeere! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

LotRO launches its Fifth Anniversary Festival Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Events, in-game, Patches, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries, Anniversary Lord of the Rings Online's fifth anniversary is upon us, and Turbine is determined to make it a party to remember! Today the studio has released LotRO's Update 6.1, the centerpiece of which is the completely revamped and upgraded Anniversary Festival. While the anniversary was perceived as a hap-hazard affair in previous years, Turbine's devs have fleshed it out to rival the other four annual festivals. The focus of the Anniversary Festival is on fireworks and lots of them. There are several new quests to discover, a new fireworks-themed mount to obtain, and beer battles to win. Because reaching five years is a big deal for any MMO, Turbine's also showering players with free gifts if they log in during this period. The gifts range from fireworks to cloaks to a special mount that is reserved for five-year veterans of the game. During the anniversary, monsters will drop special tokens that can be redeemed for a wide variety of prizes. There's also a double-XP weekend coming up which will run from April 24th through the 30th. LotRO launches its Fifth Anniversary Festival originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Update 6.1 notes, Fifth Anniversary Hub, Fifth Anniversary dev diary

MV Guide: April 16 - 22, 2012 Posted: 16 Apr 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Previews, Opinion, Livestream, Miscellaneous, MV Guide MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule! Continue reading MV Guide: April 16 - 22, 2012 MV Guide: April 16 - 22, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What outdated game mechanic should be retired from MMOs? Posted: 16 Apr 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Returning to an old game is like hopping in a time machine and surveying the horrible mistakes made by MMO studios a decade ago. Forget those five guys who still murmur the word "permadeath" wistfully; we're talking corpse runs, vitae penalty, corpse looting, tank mages, experience loss, holy trinities, zone walls, hybrid class level penalties, and tree-top cities without railings, all as a matter of course for the games of the day. Nowadays, these mechanics are abandoned in a field somewhere by all but the most retro game studios. I have to wonder what we'll look back on in another 10 years with the same feeling of "wow, I can't believe anyone thought that was a good idea." Cash shops? Flying mounts? Faction-grinds? Classes? Skill bars? Questing? Tree-top cities without railings? (Seriously guys -- stop making those.) What game mechanic is so outdated and so abhorred that it should be retired from MMOs right now? 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: What outdated game mechanic should be retired from MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Image credit

A land corrupted and a city under seige: A look at GU63 with the EQII team Posted: 15 Apr 2012 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Video, EverQuest II, Game mechanics, Interviews, Patches, Previews, Endgame, PvE, Free-to-play This coming Tuesday, EverQuest II will launch Game Update 63, and with it comes a bevy of dragons, new content, a level cap increase, and much more. Recently, EQII Producer Holly "Windstalker" Longdale and Game Designer Carlos "Gninja" Mora took the time to talk about the update and lead a tour of the new zones. Read on for a closer look at the Withered Lands and Skyshrine! Gallery: EverQuest II Game Update 63 Continue reading A land corrupted and a city under seige: A look at GU63 with the EQII team A land corrupted and a city under seige: A look at GU63 with the EQII team originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

MMO Week in Review: TORtanic Posted: 15 Apr 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Massively Meta, Week in Review, Miscellaneous At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post. BioWare ought to be basking in the accomplishment of sending the much-touted Legacy update off on its maiden voyage, but instead, Star Wars: The Old Republic has been hindered by obstacles far worse than Titanic jokes. The studio cut ranked PvP from the patch at the last minute, and then a maintenance patch blooper took the servers offline for the better part of Friday. To its credit, BioWare is compensating players for the downtime, and if you're really lucky, you won't even need to be level 50 or grind Legacy points to receive said compensation. Sail on for an overview of the week's most popular MMO stories. Continue reading MMO Week in Review: TORtanic MMO Week in Review: TORtanic originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

A Rakghoul plague has broken out across the galaxy of SWTOR Posted: 15 Apr 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Lore, PvE, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic Citizens of Star Wars: The Old Republic are advised to steer clear of the the planet Tatooine to avoid infection from a Rakghoul virus outbreak. A ship carrying infected passengers crashed in the northeast quadrant of the Dune Sea; quarantine teams have been dispatched to the local interplanetary space port to prevent the spread of the disease. Please, avoid all infected citizens at all costs! It is possible for you to carry the the virus yourself. If you are infected and attempt to flee the planet Tatooine, you will be fired upon for the safety of all Republic citizens. At this time, the disease is contained to one planetary system; however, our advice is to avoid travel in major space stations and other areas with travelers who may be coming from the Tatooine system. We will keep you informed of further developments as they unfold. May the Force be with you, and watch the official Imperial holonet broadcast after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!] Continue reading A Rakghoul plague has broken out across the galaxy of SWTOR A Rakghoul plague has broken out across the galaxy of SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Evolved: Fixing the wardec system Posted: 15 Apr 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, PvP, Opinion, EVE Evolved, Sandbox EVE Online's new Inferno expansion is almost here, bringing with it a massive PvP revamp. CCP will try to resurrect the dead faction warfare system, and new modules will be introduced to significantly shake up the PvP landscape for the first time in several years. The war declaration system is also getting a complete overhaul, with the goal of forcing the aggressor to commit to the war and making wars more structured and meaningful. Unfortunately, the implementation described at Fanfest doesn't look like it will achieve that and doesn't fix any of the system's other problems. The attacking corp can no longer stop a war mid-week, and the defender can hire mercenaries to join his war, but this doesn't add any risk for the attacking corp and doesn't force it to commit. The attacker can always stop paying the war bill, and the war will then finish at the end of the week. As most empire wardecs are initiated by small shell corps full of PvP alts, the attacking players won't mind logging out for a few days if the war backfires. The current war system is plagued with issues, from a complete lack of victory conditions to the fact that the attacker can pay for the war indefinitely. It allows bizarre asymmetries, like tiny alt corps declaring war on major military alliances, and offers no way for even the most militarily powerful defender to win the war. In this week's EVE Evolved, I lay out some of the problems with EVE Online's upcoming wardec revamp and propose an alternative system that fixes them. Continue reading EVE Evolved: Fixing the wardec system EVE Evolved: Fixing the wardec system originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

One Shots: Internet spaceships Posted: 15 Apr 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, EVE Online, Star Trek Online, Massively Meta, One Shots, Miscellaneous, Sandbox EVE Online is one of those polarizing games that seems to spark debate at every mention, but even if you're not a fan of the game's mechanics, there's no denying that the game's visuals are breathtaking. Infamous EVE pirate Helicity Boson sent in today's highlighted screenshot with this note: Today I come to you with an amazing screenshot taken during a joint operation with several of Shadow Cartel's friends who happened to have trapped an unsuspecting super capital pilot. The visuals were just... amazing. There are a few more on my site, machine9.net. I hope you'll share this with the world! Helicity's screenshot and two more starship-themed pics are tucked behind the break! Continue reading One Shots: Internet spaceships One Shots: Internet spaceships originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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