General Gaming Article

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• Phanteks Enthoo Primo Chassis Will Hit the Market Next Month
• Coolermaster Announces New CM 690 III Case
• 21 Best Google Chrome Apps and Extensions
• Intel's $199 MinnowBoard Sails Into Open Source Waters with Atom at the Helm
• Majority of Tablet Buyers Drawn to Small Screen Sizes
• Micron Gains a 300mm DRAM Fabrication Plant in Elpida Acquisition
• Newegg Daily Deals: Intel Core i5 3470 CPU, Arctic Freezer 7 Pro Rev. 2 and More!

Phanteks Enthoo Primo Chassis Will Hit the Market Next Month Posted: 02 Aug 2013 07:42 PM PDT Seems to have the makings of a very "cool" case Phanteks has so far limited itself to manufacturing PC cooling solutions, but very soon it will have its very first PC case on the market in the form of the Enthoo Primo. To this end, it has now divulged all the vital product details it chose to withhold last month, when it teased its impending entry into the world of PC cases through a couple of short preview videos. Given the company's background in cooling, it is no surprise that the Enthoo Primo promises "extreme cooling capacity," with as many as 16 fan mount locations. What's more, it will ship with five Phanteks PH-F140SP140 mm fans. There is no dearth of water cooling options either. "Phanteks' Enthoo Primo features a unique PSU thermally isolated location, multifunctional cable/reservoir cover, exclusive brackets, and massive cooling potential," the company said in a press release earlier this week. "With the PSU located in the back of the case, this allows for a cleaner look and better cable management." Here are the Enthoo Primo's detailed specs: Dimension: 250mm x 650mm x 600mm (WxHxD) Form Factor: Full Tower Chassis Material(s): Aluminum Faceplates, Steel Chassis Motherboard Support: ATX, EATX, mATX, SSI EEB Front I/O: 2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0, Mic, Headphone, LED Switch, Reset Switch Side Window: Yes, split-window design Expansion Slots: 8 Power Supply Slots: 2 Drive bays: External 5.25": 5 Internal 3.5": 6 (2x 3 HDD cages) Internal 2.5": 12 (2x 3 HDD cages + 2x doublestack SSD brackets ) *expandable to 3x Cooling: Up to 16 fan mount locations (120/140mm) Water Cooling: 5 different installation areas for slim and thick radiators varying from single to quad (120mm and 140mm form factors) Clearance Graphic card 257mm (reservoir bracket installed) 277mm (reservoir bracket installed w/o cover)    350mm (no reservoir bracket)    390mm (HDD cages in front position)    515mm (no HDD cages) CPU cooler: 207mm Cable management: 30mm The Enthoo Primo will hit the market next month with an MSRP of $249.99 and a five-year limited warranty. Follow Pulkit on Google+

Coolermaster Announces New CM 690 III Case Posted: 02 Aug 2013 03:48 PM PDT It looks a lot like the last one Cooler Master released its 690 II Advanced case in 2010, and they've now refreshed it with their new 690 III case. Like the last case, the 690 III is a steel- bodied mesh mid-tower case and comes with a flurry of storage bays. The new case features seven internal hard drives bays and three ODD bays, which can also be used to mount SSDs.  Other specifications include two front panel USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, along with standard audio and microphone inputs. Coolermaster's 690 III also comes equipped with removable dust filters that cover the top, and front of the case as well as the PSU, for easy cleaning.  Cooling in the CM 690 III is covered by a front 200mm intake fan, a rear 120mm outtake fan stock with the option of adding more. The side panel and top of the case support two 120mm fans or can be fitted with one 200mm fan and the bottom supports a 120mm fan.  Lastly the case supports a 120mm hard drive cage fan.  Aesthetically, the 690 III  hasn't changed much from its last iteration, as the design is very similar to the 690 II Advanced.

21 Best Google Chrome Apps and Extensions Posted: 02 Aug 2013 12:00 PM PDT Best Google Chrome Apps We like building our own PCs because there's a certain satisfaction that comes from hand-picking the right combination of parts, putting them together, and then fine tuning their collective performance both on a hardware and software level. A home brewed PC is never finished -- we can always add, subtract, or upgrade components, and over time, our machines become a living entity that grows alongside us. What started off as a lean, mean, pixel pushing machine may eventually end up as a whisper quiet home theater PC (HTPC). For many of the same reasons, we're big fans of Google's Chrome browser. The comparison between building a PC and configuring a web browser isn't exactly apples to apples, but the underlying concept is essentially the same. Chrome, with its minimalistic nature, affords us a clean slate to work with, one that we can customize to our own specifications. Instead of picking out physical components, with Chrome, we have thousands of themes and extensions to sift through. This allows us to build a customized browser, both in appearance and function, and like our PCs, Chrome can grow and adapt to our changing needs. If you haven't given Chrome a test drive yet, we highly encourage doing so. To help get you started, we've put together a list of 21 awesome extensions. You can choose to install just one, all 21, or none at all. That's the beauty of Chrome -- the end result is what you, the user, makes of it! If you have a favorite extension that isn't on the list -- highly likely, since there are so many -- share it with us and other readers in the comments section below. One final word: You'll notice we don't include AdBlock Plus. That's not because we're haters, though bear in mind that many sites rely on advertising to stay afloat, so if you want to support them, you should disable AdBlock Plus on said site. The real reason why it's not included is because we feel most people already know about it (plus it's getting a shout-out here), so why waste one of our 21 entries highlighting it? Check out our top picks below and let us know what your favorite Chrome extension is in the comments! Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Intel's $199 MinnowBoard Sails Into Open Source Waters with Atom at the Helm Posted: 02 Aug 2013 09:36 AM PDT Intel's first open source PC The world's largest semiconductor company finds itself hooked on the mini computing craze that was, in part, popularized by the Raspberry PC and other tiny systems that would follow. Intel, along with CircuitCo Electronics, a company that knows a thing or two about open-source motherboards, shipped the chip maker's first open source PC known as MinnowBoard, which is essentially a slice of silicon powered by Intel's Atom E640 processor (1GHz). At $199, the MinnowBoard is more than five times more expensive than a $35 Raspberry Pi, though there are certain advantages to Intel's approach. The biggest one is that it's a x86 mini PC, whereas Raspberry Pi is based on ARM's architecture. And while it's more expensive than Raspberry Pi, the MinnowBoard is cheaper than most x86 systems. In addition to an Atom processor, it also rocks 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 4MB of SPI flash (system firmware memory), integrated GMA 600 graphics, microSD card slot, a single SATA 3Gbps port, two full-size USB ports, a micro USB port, GbE LAN, and a few other odds and ends. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Majority of Tablet Buyers Drawn to Small Screen Sizes Posted: 02 Aug 2013 09:11 AM PDT Small tablets gave overall sales a big boost last quarter The tablet buying frenzy may have started with Apple's 9.7-inch iPad, but these days, consumers are more interested in slates with smaller screen sizes. According to Canalys, 68 percent of tablets shipped in the second quarter of 2013 had a screen size smaller than 9 inches, a buying a habit that may have helped Android nab a majority 53 percent share of the market compared to Apple's 43 percent. Apple's share of tablets declined 14 percent last quarter, though tablet shipments as a whole grew 34 percent year-over-year. The second quarter alone saw 34 million additional slates enter the market place. Canalys believes the primary reason Apple's share is moving in the opposite direction of the market is simply due to economics. "When Apple does decide to refresh its iPad range it will not experience the buzz of previous launches," said Canalys Analyst James Wang. "Tablets are now mainstream products and hardware innovation is increasingly difficult. With branded Android tablets available for less than $150, the PC market has never been so good for consumers, who are voting with their wallets." Apple's least expensive tablet is its iPad mini, a 7.9-inch slate that starts at $329 MSRP, more than twice as much as some similar sized Android tablets from name brand vendors. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Micron Gains a 300mm DRAM Fabrication Plant in Elpida Acquisition Posted: 02 Aug 2013 08:11 AM PDT Micron beefs up its memory portfolio Micron, the memory maker based out of Boise, Idaho, has completed its acquisition of Elpida, a struggling DRAM player in Tokyo. All of Elpida's equity and assets now belong to Micron, including a 300mm DRAM fabrication facility located in Hiroshima, Japan. Other notable assets include a 65 percent stake in Rexchip, which itself owns a 300mm DRAM plant in Taiwan, and 100 percent ownership interest in Akita Elpida Memory, which owns an assembly and test facility in Akita, Japan. "We are pleased to bring together Elpida with Micron to form the industry's leading pure-play memory company. This combination will result in enhanced R&D and manufacturing scale, significant cost and production synergies and a stronger memory product portfolio to provide solutions to our customers," said Micron CEO Mark Durcan. The move also ensures Micron's continued presence in an industry that's made a sharp transition to survival of the fittest in the past several years. Starting around 2008, the DRAM market took a turn for the worse, prompting Adata to say it had been the worst year for DRAM in 15 years. According to Micron, the manufacturing assets of Elpida and Rexchip together can produce more than 185,000 300mm wafers per month, which represents about a 45 percent increase in Micron's current manufacturing capacity. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: Intel Core i5 3470 CPU, Arctic Freezer 7 Pro Rev. 2 and More! Posted: 02 Aug 2013 07:45 AM PDT Top Deal: We hate to be the ones to bum you out with bad news, but the back-to-school season is upon us, meaning it's almost time to wave goodbye to summer. Why not turn that frown upside down with a new build for the upcoming school season? To help you along, today's top deal is for an Intel Core i5 3470 Ivy Bridge 3.2GHz (3.6GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 77W quad-core desktop processor (BX80637i53470) for $180 with free shipping (normally $200 - use coupon code EMCXMXW22). It's a 22nm chip with integrated Intel HD Graphics 2500. Other Deals: Arctic Freezer 7 Pro Rev. 2 CPU Cooler - Intel & AMD Multi-Directional Mount 92mm PWM Fan for $18 with free shipping (normally $24 - use coupon code: [EMCXMXW86]) Razer Naga Molten Black 17 Buttons 1 xWheel USB Wired Laser 5600 dpi Special Edition Gaming Mouse RZ01-00280500-R3M1 for $58 with free shipping (normally $70 - use coupon code: [EMCXMXW54]) Biostar TZ77A LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS for $80 with free shipping (normally $95 - use coupon code: [BIO15]) Samsung B300 Series S23B300B Black 23-inch 5ms GTG Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor 250 cd/m2 Mega Infinity DCR(1000:1) for $140 with free shipping (normally $160 - use coupon code: [EMCXMXW23])

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MMO Updates

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• MMO Burnout: State of Decay
• Some Assembly Required: Want a real living story? Try a sandbox!
• Uncharted Waters Online launches its newest update, Tower of Babel
• Tamriel Infinium: The Elder Scrolls Online's rationale for roleplay
• Wargaming grabs Total Annihilation and Master of Orion IPs
• The Daily Grind: Do you skip quest text in MMOs?
• SOE Live 2013: Thursday keynote announces expansions, release dates, and more
• The Elder Scrolls Online gets analyzed on a minute-by-minute basis
• The Secret World development letter outlines Issues 8 and 9
• Order and Chaos Online comes to Ouya
• PS4 playable at Eurogamer Expo 2013
• The Summoner's Guidebook: Divorcing skill from teaching skills in League of Legends
• Red 5 CEO details Firefall fixes, apologizes for open beta issues
• Prepare for TESO with The Elder Scrolls Anthology
• Neverwinter's companions are real bears (and cats)
• Blizzard's Titan 'unlikely to be a subscription-based MMORPG'
• How to claim your Ewok companion in SWTOR
• The Think Tank: What mistakes did you make when you first started in MMOs?
• The Guild Counsel: How EverQuest influenced guild management and why it's time for change
• Meet WildStar's brilliant, horrible Mondo Zax
• Guild Wars 2 makes dungeons more profitable
• League of Legends steels itself for patch 3.10
• Star Citizen backers proving big publishers 'very, very wrong'
• Face the trials of the Arena in Hearthstone
• Marvel Heroes patch 1.11 breaks game, reverts back
• MechWarrior Online discusses the state of the game and the road to launch
• SOE announces DC Universe Online Sons of Trigon DLC

MMO Burnout: State of Decay Posted: 02 Aug 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Horror, Opinion, Hands-On, Consoles, Post-Apocalyptic, MMO Burnout With an all-star dev team steering the ship, Undead Labs' State of Decay is topping sales charts and impressing fans, but it's certainly not done yet. The single-player zombie survival game for the Xbox 360 was created by several ArenaNet alumni (including ANet co-founder Jeff Strain) and aims to one day release an MMO version titled Class4. But in the meantime, it's breaking XBL sales records and showing us all how a decaying game premise like zombie survival can gain new life. I grabbed the game at launch to give me an idea of what to eventually expect from Class4, but I was quite surprised at what I found. A console game with a living world? A single-player action RPG with purpose and incentive? That's just what you get when you interrupt traditional console game development with a few designers from this crazy new genre known as MMORPG. Continue reading MMO Burnout: State of Decay MMO Burnout: State of Decay originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Some Assembly Required: Want a real living story? Try a sandbox! Posted: 02 Aug 2013 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Some Assembly Required, Buy-to-Play I'm going to criticize Guild Wars 2 this week, or more accurately, ArenaNet. I know, I know. I might as well change the name of this column to How to Alienate Friends, Co-workers, and Commenters. As a qualifier, I don't play Guild Wars 2. I have in the past, briefly, but my criticisms today are mostly directed at ANet's marketing folks or whoever is responsible for the Living Story refrain that gets sillier and sillier every time I hear it. Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Want a real living story? Try a sandbox! Some Assembly Required: Want a real living story? Try a sandbox! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Uncharted Waters Online launches its newest update, Tower of Babel Posted: 02 Aug 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Game Mechanics, Patches, Endgame, News Items, Free-to-Play Who's ready for another round of leveling in Uncharted Waters Online? Because that's what players are going to be doing with the game's latest update, as the level cap has been raised once again from 70 to 75. All characters at level 65 or higher can take part in the quests needed to unlock the highest tier of leveling, and that means more trading, more adventuring, and more fighting to approach the new cap. Of course, new levels alone would make for a pretty anemic update, which is why the patch also features three new ships, new equipment, several new quests and discoveries, and new decorations for your dwelling. Players can also experiment with changes to several ship types and cultural contributions, both of which should freshen up the game experience. If you can't wait to dive in, the patch can be downloaded and played immediately. [Source: Netmarble press release] Uncharted Waters Online launches its newest update, Tower of Babel originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Tower of Babel update page

Tamriel Infinium: The Elder Scrolls Online's rationale for roleplay Posted: 02 Aug 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Game Mechanics, New Titles, Opinion, Roleplaying, Community Q&A, The Elder Scrolls Online, MMORPG, Tamriel Infinium After reading the roleplay-oriented AMA that released Monday on the official Elder Scrolls Online website, I resigned myself to the fact that I'm never again going to get to play an MMO with chat bubbles. I will miss you, my lovely communicative vesicle. I shall remember fondly the times you allowed me to easily distinguish between those who spoke right next to me and those who sat halfway across a tavern. Apparently, you are now a dated device that no longer holds importance to designers looking to make a game that revolves around player-to-player communication... I know that chat bubbles are not the only important device in the roleplayer arsenal of storytelling tools, but that doesn't mean that I don't find the irony humorous. And I am extraordinarily happy that developers took the time to answer some very important roleplay-related questions. As someone who happens to be very interested in the ability to roleplay effectively, I'd like to take a few moments to discuss the answers the developers gave. And surprisingly the discussion we had last week about the ESO community-building tools fits in quite well with the theme on the whole. Continue reading Tamriel Infinium: The Elder Scrolls Online's rationale for roleplay Tamriel Infinium: The Elder Scrolls Online's rationale for roleplay originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wargaming grabs Total Annihilation and Master of Orion IPs Posted: 02 Aug 2013 06:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Historical, Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, MMO Industry, New Titles, Free-to-Play, MMORTS, World of Warplanes Wargaming has ambitious plans for the company's 15th anniversary this year, starting with the acquisition of two well-known IPs: Total Annihilation and Master of Orion. Master of Orion is an acclaimed 4X sci-fi strategy series that began in 1993, while Total Annihilation was a popular RTS from 1997. CEO Victor Kislyi teased the possibilities that these IP pickups represent: "Total Annihilation and Master of Orion are strategy game classics. Although it's too soon to disclose any details, we are more than willing to give a new lease of life to these games most of us grew up playing. It's exactly where our major focus will be." Beyond that, Wargamming announced that it has opened a new office in Austin, Texas to help smooth the flow of communication and production processes between its teams and studios. The team also announced the inclusion of British planes in World of Warplanes, which you can see in the reveal video after the jump. [Source: Wargaming press release] Continue reading Wargaming grabs Total Annihilation and Master of Orion IPs Wargaming grabs Total Annihilation and Master of Orion IPs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Do you skip quest text in MMOs? Posted: 02 Aug 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Game Mechanics, Lore, MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous I heard an odd complaint in the Massively offices this week: One of our writers was annoyed with Guild Wars 2 because it isn't delivering enough backstory through regular gameplay and normal questing. He couldn't figure out what was happening in the plot and didn't want to have to hunt down an out-of-game wiki page or NPC with a prepared info-dumping spiel; he just wanted the basic lore presented during the quest itself from normal quest NPCs. Crazy, right? Why would a designer put lore in quest text? No one reads quest text -- everyone says! Might be it's time to challenge that assumption, especially with games like WildStar with tweetquest philosophies on the horizon. Do you, in fact, skip quest text in MMOs? If you do, would you read it if you knew the text actually mattered to the plot of the game and wasn't just a 500-word essay on why you should kill 10 rats? 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 skip quest text in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

SOE Live 2013: Thursday keynote announces expansions, release dates, and more Posted: 02 Aug 2013 04:00 AM PDT Filed under: EverQuest, EverQuest II, Expansions, Launches, MMO Industry, New Titles, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage), EverQuest Next, Dragon's Prophet, Player-Generated Content SOE Live 2013 kicked off in the new Planet Hollywood venue with a keynote full of information as well as frivolity. The night started with a rap performance by a PlanetSide 2 player and continued with plenty of humor and even prize giveaways. Fan favorite Brasse, a.k.a. Linda Carlson, then lit up the stage (literally) in her PlanetSide 2-inspired Dwarven armor set and plugged Player Direct, a way for player-made gaming videos to gain more exposure. And then came the gaming news. Although even more details will be forthcoming as the convention progresses, there were some definite highlights shared by SOE CEO John Smedley, EverQuest Producer Thom Terrazas, and EverQuest II Producer Holly Longdale, including expansion announcements, release dates, and even some EverQuest Next tidbits. Continue reading SOE Live 2013: Thursday keynote announces expansions, release dates, and more SOE Live 2013: Thursday keynote announces expansions, release dates, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Elder Scrolls Online gets analyzed on a minute-by-minute basis Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Previews, The Elder Scrolls Online They say you need to see it to believe it, so cozy on up to the following gameplay video of The Elder Scrolls Online to judge whether or not this upcoming MMO belongs in the same league as Skyrim. The video's commentators believe it does, and they spend over 20 minutes analyzing the game's NPCs, lighting, dungeons, and voice-overs. There's also significant discussion (but no related visuals) about TESO's character creation, which the commentators say is not in the same league as most MMO systems. Check it out after the break! Continue reading The Elder Scrolls Online gets analyzed on a minute-by-minute basis The Elder Scrolls Online gets analyzed on a minute-by-minute basis originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: CVG

The Secret World development letter outlines Issues 8 and 9 Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, News Items, PvE, The Secret World, Dungeons, Buy-to-Play Funcom game director Joel Bylos posted The Secret World's latest development update on the official forums earlier this week. He says that the dev team is splitting "into two different areas of focus -- the systems driven updates for Issue #8 and the content-heavy new Tokyo playfield for Issue #9." The former update will feature two new systems, scenarios and augments, while the latter is such a huge undertaking that Funcom will be staggering its release over multiple patches. "Issue #9 will contain the first half of the zone, including an expanded section of Venice and a return to a location that everybody will recognize immediately," he says. Read all the details on TSW's website. [Thanks Olin!] The Secret World development letter outlines Issues 8 and 9 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: July letter

Order and Chaos Online comes to Ouya Posted: 01 Aug 2013 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, Free-to-Play, Consoles Order and Chaos Online, that scrappy little mobile World of Warcraft clone, is continuing to expand its presence in the gaming market. Its latest conquest? Ouya, the Android-based console that released in late June. Ouya Chief Executive Julie Uhrman welcomed the title to the Ouya family: "Ouya is excited to be working with Gameloft to bring the wildly popular Order and Chaos Online to the consoles world for the first time. This also marks our first MMO, expanding the gaming possibilities for all Ouya gamers." This isn't technically the first MMO for the Ouya, however. Vendetta Online premiered on the console several months ago. Order and Chaos Online is available for free in the Ouya Discovery store. Order and Chaos Online comes to Ouya originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: VentureBeat

PS4 playable at Eurogamer Expo 2013 Posted: 01 Aug 2013 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Consoles, The Elder Scrolls Online Going to be in London at the end of September? Drop by the Eurogamer Expo and you just might get some hands-on time with the PlayStation 4. What hasn't been confirmed yet? Exactly which titles will be playable at the show. We've got our fingers crossed for The Elder Scrolls Online, ZeniMax's upcoming fantasy MMO. UbiSoft's The Crew and Turbine's Infinite Crisis are also confirmed for the PS4 but not for a demo just yet, according to a new press release. The Expo starts Thursday, September 26th, and runs through Sunday, September 29th. Super passes and weekend tickets are already sold out, but Thursday and Friday tickets are still available on the official event website. [Source: Eurogamer Expo 2013 press release] PS4 playable at Eurogamer Expo 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Summoner's Guidebook: Divorcing skill from teaching skills in League of Legends Posted: 01 Aug 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Free-to-Play, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook League of Legends is a game where skill takes many forms. Knowledge is a skill, as is mechanical execution, adaptability, decision-making, and prediction. In LoL, the emphasis is mostly on decision-making and knowledge. This doesn't mean that the other skills aren't necessary to become a great player, but being a good player mostly requires those skills. I've said it once and I'll say it again: I'm not a great player. If I were, I'd probably be trying to get on a pro team (or I'd already be on one). Even "good" is debatable. I am kind of emotional when I play, and it messes me up. I tend to surrender vote early, which sometimes brings my team down. I am not a team player. I tend to rely on my superior mechanics. Even my mechanics are bad compared to great players. I tend to think of myself as OK at best and that most people are just awful. However, I also think I'm pretty good at teaching people how to play. LoL has a lot of games-within-a-game to play, and I'm not too bad at explaining how those things work over time. I'd like to think I'm good at giving commentary (both positive and negative) to a player trying to learn. I could be a coach, and I sort of am -- I get to coach all of you guys, after all. Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Divorcing skill from teaching skills in League of Legends The Summoner's Guidebook: Divorcing skill from teaching skills in League of Legends originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Red 5 CEO details Firefall fixes, apologizes for open beta issues Posted: 01 Aug 2013 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Bugs, Launches, MMO Industry, New Titles, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Post-Apocalyptic, Firefall, MMORPG Firefall jet-booted into open beta on July 9th, but the transition ended up being a bit trickier than Red 5 expected. Tutorials broke, crafting crashed, abilities vanished from hotbars, and logins were jammed. CEO Mark Kern offered a letter to Firefall players today apologizing for the problems encountered and detailing all the fixes the team has put in place. According to Kern, login errors are resolved, server capacity is raised in all regions, instances are stabilized, tutorials are un-stuck, and calldown menus function again. Additionally, dropships are cruising along the correct flightpaths and the game's crafting and customization menus are smoother, faster, and more responsive. Kern conceded that Firefall isn't perfect (or even finished), but wants players to know that he and his team are working on it: Please accept our apologies for the rocky start, and while we are not past all of it yet, things have improved tremendously and we are working on resolving the remaining issues. Meanwhile, please join us for a series of new content and features that are rolling out regularly. It's been an incredible experience and only made possible by you, the community. Thank you and see you in Firefall. Red 5 has an open beta Firefall tournament scheduled to start this Sunday, August 4th. Red 5 CEO details Firefall fixes, apologizes for open beta issues originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Firefall Blog

Prepare for TESO with The Elder Scrolls Anthology Posted: 01 Aug 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, The Elder Scrolls Online So, you need a primer for The Elder Scrolls Online and its mountain of lore and wouldn't you know it, Bethesda has just the thing. For the first time ever, the firm says, you can own the entire series in one complete collection for PC. Beginning with Arena and culminating with Skyrim's Dragonborn expansion, you can (re)experience all of Tamriel along with a spiffy retail package and five physical maps for $79.99. The Anthology will be available beginning on September 10th, though Bethesda's website notes that you can pre-order it now. We should also point out that Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim are pretty cheap on Steam these days, while Daggerfall and Arena are free downloads. Prepare for TESO with The Elder Scrolls Anthology originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Neverwinter's companions are real bears (and cats) Posted: 01 Aug 2013 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, News Items, Free-to-Play, Neverwinter Have you ever found yourself playing Neverwinter and thinking, "This is great, but it'd be way better with an enormous bear mauling things while I cast spells"? Or perhaps you'd prefer a panther, or a hawk, or an enormous spider? Whatever your preferred flavor, the game probably has a companion to match your tastes, and each of them is on display in the new companion trailer embedded just past the cut. Although the idea of a spider companion is kind of really creepy. This trailer comes along with the addition of a new companion to the cash shop, the Cave Bear. Your ursine companion will obligingly maul your opponents while stealing health and comes with a max rank of 20. There's also a new dye pack, which has very little to do with companions but might help you coordinate your outfit with your feral chums. So check out the full trailer past the break for an idea of what you can do with an animal buddy. Continue reading Neverwinter's companions are real bears (and cats) Neverwinter's companions are real bears (and cats) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Companion trailer and announcement

Blizzard's Titan 'unlikely to be a subscription-based MMORPG' Posted: 01 Aug 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business Models, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Subscription What's going on with Titan? Only Blizzard knows for sure, and today the gaming giant offered a quick blurb regarding its long-rumored MMORPG during an investor call. "We're in the process of selecting a new direction for the project and re-envisioning what we want the game to be," said Blizz CEO Mike Morhaime. "While we can't talk about the details yet, it is unlikely to be a subscription-based MMORPG." Blizzard's Titan 'unlikely to be a subscription-based MMORPG' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Joystiq

How to claim your Ewok companion in SWTOR Posted: 01 Aug 2013 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic BioWare has put together a blog post detailing how you can get your hands on Treek the Ewok companion in Star Wars: The Old Republic. There are two options: the cash shop or in-game credits. For the former, obtaining your Ewok companion is as easy as forking over 2100 Cartel Coins and obtaining a Mercenary Contract quest starter item from the Cartel Market. You'll need to be level 10 to finish the quest and claim your reward. If you prefer to avoid cash shops, you can still obtain the Mercenary Contract via the astromech Legacy Vendor located on your faction's fleet. You'll need a Legacy level of 40 and a million credits. There's a third option, too, and that is buying the contract from another player via the global auction house. There's a bit more info on the process at the official SWTOR website. How to claim your Ewok companion in SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Treek guide

The Think Tank: What mistakes did you make when you first started in MMOs? Posted: 01 Aug 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Massively Meta, Humor, Miscellaneous, The Think Tank In a recent Daily Grind article, we recently asked you to tell us about mistakes you've made as an MMO noob. The reader response was so amusing that I thought it might be fun to pose the same question to the Massively staff. Which one of us deleted characters without cleaning them out first? Which one of us picked skills based on how cool they sounded? Which one of us thought NPCs were real players? Find out in our embarrassing confessionals just after the jump. Continue reading The Think Tank: What mistakes did you make when you first started in MMOs? The Think Tank: What mistakes did you make when you first started in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Guild Counsel: How EverQuest influenced guild management and why it's time for change Posted: 01 Aug 2013 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: EverQuest, Guilds, Opinion, EverQuest Next, The Guild Counsel Today marks the start of SOE Live, and many MMO fans are eagerly awaiting the big reveal of EQ Next. But as we look forward to the newest title in the EQ franchise, it's worth taking time to look back at the beginning of EverQuest, particularly when it comes to guilds and guild management. In the early days of the game, there was practically nothing for budding guild leaders to consult for advice, so guild management practices were largely driven by trial and error as well as the challenges of the game (and there certainly were some challenges!). Over the years, MMOs have introduced some major design changes, but guilds still tend to look the same as they did over a decade ago. As we approach the reveal of EQ Next, let's look back at guild life in EQ and why it might be time to rethink commonly accepted practices in guild management. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: How EverQuest influenced guild management and why it's time for change The Guild Counsel: How EverQuest influenced guild management and why it's time for change originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Meet WildStar's brilliant, horrible Mondo Zax Posted: 01 Aug 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Lore, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Races, Roleplaying, WildStar, MMORPG In the world of WildStar, Chua are experts of science and technology responsible for designing weapons and other gadgets for the Dominion empire. And if you've ever wanted to meet one in person, today's your lucky day. Yesterday, Carbine Studios posted an interview with WildStar's most famous Chua, Mondo Zax. Zax is Chief Technologist for the Dominion Research and Experimentation Division (DRED) and a brilliant inventor with a short temper and a malicious streak. You can imagine how the interview turns out for the individual asking the questions. The interview discusses Mondo Zax's family (he probably murdered his siblings) and passions (building guns that melt people's organs) and is worth a read if you're curious about WildStar's main characters and the lore behind them. Meet WildStar's brilliant, horrible Mondo Zax originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Meet the Chua

Guild Wars 2 makes dungeons more profitable Posted: 01 Aug 2013 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Previews, Guild Wars 2, Dev Diaries, Dungeons, Buy-to-Play Guild Wars 2 Lead Designer Isaiah Cartwright has a few (but just a few) words to say regarding the changes that ArenaNet is planning for its dungeons. Dungeon running should be more profitable, awarding additional currency for a successful run. The team is limiting full rewards for each dungeon path to a 24-hour timer in order to encourage players to try different paths. "Our goal is to make each and every dungeon path feel enticing and rewarding," Cartwright said. "We also want the rewards structure to encourage players to enjoy a variety of dungeon paths." ArenaNet is also giving champion mobs spiffy loot containers so that players can kill the creatures and pry the boxes from their clawed hands. These containers will be tailored to the type of mob they come from, giving players a strategic choice in choosing champions to slay. Guild Wars 2 makes dungeons more profitable originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Dungeon rewards

League of Legends steels itself for patch 3.10 Posted: 01 Aug 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Patches, Previews, Free-to-Play, MOBA, League of Legends How do you know when a patch is a big deal? How about when its designation ends with a zero and when it has its own seven-minute preview video. League of Legends patch 3.10 has both of these, and while it's not yet live, players can check out the full patch notes and patch video to prepare for the changes. Patch 3.10 begins with a nerf to Elise's spiderling pets and her rappel range. It goes on to make Twisted Fate's passive fit his gambling theme better, make a few jungle tweaks, take runic bulwark out, and add a new mid-level magic resistance item to the game. You can check out the 3.10 preview video after the jump. Continue reading League of Legends steels itself for patch 3.10 League of Legends steels itself for patch 3.10 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Patch 3.10 notes

Star Citizen backers proving big publishers 'very, very wrong' Posted: 01 Aug 2013 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play Star Citizen continues to pile on its record crowdfunding run. The space sim from Chris Roberts and Cloud Imperium just crossed the $15 million threshold. The milestone means that a new flyable ship class (the escort carrier) will be developed, as will a special backer-only 42-page upgrade handbook that details "customizing and overclocking ship systems." Cloud Imperium now sets its sights on $16 million, which will bring about a galaxy-wide arena mode and a laser pistol for each pledger. "Ten years ago, big publishers decided space games weren't profitable," says the Star Citizen website. "And you are proving them very, very wrong!" Star Citizen backers proving big publishers 'very, very wrong' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Face the trials of the Arena in Hearthstone Posted: 01 Aug 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play If you've played a lot of the Hearthstone beta, odds are you think you're pretty good at the game. If you've read up on it, you might still think you have a solid grasp of the strategy. So maybe you'll want to test your skills in a format that requires a different sort of strategy, something that will put your ability to build a deck on the line. If that's like your sort of game, perhaps you'll look forward to paying the entry fee and stepping into the Arena, a draft-style format that forces players to construct decks on the fly and pit them against similar constructions. After paying the entry fee, either through in-game gold or real cash, players will be presented with three random heroes. Picking one will set you to work building a deck of 30 random cards out of several selections, with each choice being final. Once you start in the arena, you'll try to accumulate as many wins as possible before hitting three losses, earning a more powerful key for better rewards each time you win. The game isn't released yet, but this mode is all the more reason for beta players to keep practicing and aspirants to keep their eyes peeled once it's available for everyone. Face the trials of the Arena in Hearthstone originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: The Key to the Hearthstone Arena

Marvel Heroes patch 1.11 breaks game, reverts back Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Bugs, Patches, Free-to-Play, Marvel Heroes Marvel Heroes was proud to roll out patch 1.11 last night, and the playerbase was proud to receive it. There was only one problem: It didn't work. Gazillion couldn't get the game up and running for everyone, and after several hours of outages, the team decided to create a new patch to revert the game back to a pre-1.11 state. CM Stephen Reid explained the studio's response: "After an evening of working to see if there was a quick solution to the issues we encountered when we brought up game update 1.11 tonight, we've decided to go with 'Plan B:' deploying a patch that essentially 'reverts' the live game to its pre-game update 1.11 state. This is safer and will allow the game to be up and for you to play in the live environment while we diagnose, fix, text, and redeploy game update 1.11." Patch 1.11 contained the Human Torch playable character as well as the new eternity shards system. Gazillion assures players that if they managed to log in last night and purchase the Human Torch, it will be safe and sound when 1.11 returns. Marvel Heroes patch 1.11 breaks game, reverts back originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Sever and game patch announcement

MechWarrior Online discusses the state of the game and the road to launch Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Patches, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, MechWarrior Online MechWarrior Online has already gone into open beta with a functional cash shop, but the game still isn't officially launching until September. So how's the road to launch looking so far? According to creative developer Bryan Ekman, it's going quite well. Despite summer traditionally being one of the slowest times for games like MWO, the community has been strong and growing. The development team is also thrilled that response to the game's first charity drive was immensely positive, with Sarah's 'Mech raising over $40,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society on the first day of release. So what comes next? According to Ekman, the development is currently split into two teams, one focused upon major features and the other on content. A revamped UI and the Community Warfare system are the two biggest elements for the feature team, while a new map, Terra Therma, is set to debut next week. Third-person mode is also in testing for those who prefer to see their multi-ton death machines from the outside. Players would be well-served to look at the full letter for more dispatches about the game's future as September creeps closer. MechWarrior Online discusses the state of the game and the road to launch originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Creative developer update

SOE announces DC Universe Online Sons of Trigon DLC Posted: 01 Aug 2013 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, DC Universe Online Are you craving more superheroic content in DC Universe Online? SOE has some good news for you in the form of DCUO's latest DLC release. It's called Sons of Trigon, and it will feature new high-level multiplayer and solo stuff as well as the game's 11th power set (Celestial). SOE hasn't announced an official release date beyond fall 2013, but the firm's new press release does detail what looks to be a pretty meaty update. New legends PvP characters Cheetah and Donna Troy are in the works, as is a new shared zone (Gotham City wasteland) featuring daily solo quests. A new alert and three new duo instances are also coming along with new gear and the requisite feats and collections. Sons of Trigon will be free for Legendary members. Premium and F2P players can purchase it via the in-game marketplace, the PlayStation Network, or the DCUO website. [Source: SOE press release] SOE announces DC Universe Online Sons of Trigon DLC originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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