General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Windows 8 Tablets Handed Out To Scottish Government Civil Servants

Posted: 12 Oct 2013 12:26 PM PDT

DellWindows 8 tablets for civil servants

Microsoft has been pushing their Surface tablets, but tablet PCs running Windows 8 seem to be the bait the Scottish Government is taking. PCWorld reports that they plan to hand out a series of the Windows 8 tablets to civil servants in order to improve overall efficiency. Insert snarky DMV joke here, although Scotland probably doesn't have that kind of problem. 

Employees of the Scottish Government will be given the Samsung Series 7 Slate, Samsung ATIV, and Dell Latitude 10, all running Windows 8. They'll also be loaded with Microsoft User Experience Virtualization, which will allow staff to log into whichever computer they choose to access their network and documents. 

Would Windows 8 tablets improve your efficiency at the workplace? 

Make Your Microsoft Office 2013 Trial Last Up To Six Months

Posted: 12 Oct 2013 11:59 AM PDT

Microsoft OfficeStretch your dollar using this handy trick

Microsoft Office 2013 can be pricey, though we of course advocate purchasing it should you need to use it regularly. However, if you're thinking about using it to give it a test spin or need to use it a little beyond 30 days, How-To Geek has an answer for you. 

PCWorld brings us this helpful hack, which will walk you through renewing the preset 30-day trial period originally set up for you by Microsoft. You can do it up to five more times, which can in theory provide up to six months of Microsoft Office 2013. It's as simple as opening a command window and running a specific utility. The utility must be ran every 30 days for the trick to work, but it's a small price to pay to have to remember compared to buying the software, especially if you're not sure you want to commit. 

The full instructional how-to is over here. Let us know how it works if you decide to give it a spin. 

Google TV Rebranded As Android TV

Posted: 12 Oct 2013 10:59 AM PDT

TVGoogle TV will become Android TV

A report from GigaOm has revealed that Google is abandoning the Google TV brand for what they're referring to as Android TV. Google has not yet made the official announcement regarding the upcoming living room service, but an anonymous source has confirmed via TechSpot that the rebranding is indeed set in stone.

Google has declined to comment on the name-change, but many believe "Android TV" will be inclusive of several different brands, thus the change of focus from Google branding to a more broad, inclusive name that encompasses the Android platform rather than Google-only equipment. We'll have to wait and see what's in store, but in the meantime, how do you feel about Android TV? Is that a name that you can see rolling off the tongue?

Google Using Your Endorsements As Advertisements

Posted: 12 Oct 2013 10:22 AM PDT

Google

Comments about your favorite restaurant will be used as endorsements

Google made a slightly unsavory change to its terms of service on Friday -- under the new rules, it can utilize your name, photos, and random comments as endorsements for ads shown online. These types of content will be culled from various online sources such as YouTube and Google+.

TechSpot reports this new advertisement strategy via the New York Times as a way to coerce acquaintances into investigating a product or service you appear to have given a ringing endorsement for. The new policy is going live on November 11, but if you feel like this type of advertising is a little too invasive for you, there will be the option available to opt out. User under the age of 18 will automatically be excluded from inclusion in the search results as well. 

Is this a little too far, even for Google?

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's best and most disappointing bosses

Posted: 12 Oct 2013 10:00 AM PDT

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The head of my FC is a pretty good boss, but that's different.
I don't know if I exactly agree with Naoki Yoshida's stance that Final Fantasy XIV is about group content first and foremost, but darn if the game's group content isn't pretty awesome. I can't remember the last game where I was this happy to queue up and head into a dungeon, even if I didn't have a full group backing me. Which means that I've gotten very familiar with the game's bosses.

The best bosses are pretty easy to pick out for me; they're the ones that hit all the right notes in terms of challenge and whatnot. But the expected counterpart is the worst bosses, and... really, there are a lot of factors that can play into the term worst. So, I'm not pointing out the worst as much as I'm pointing out the disappointments. The top five of each, in rough order. Enjoy.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's best and most disappointing bosses

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's best and most disappointing bosses originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Oct 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    WRUP: Exciting new Pokémon features edition

    Posted: 12 Oct 2013 08:00 AM PDT

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    One of your starters turns into a fat kid, so that's awesome.
    So it looks as if I'm actually going to be picking up the new Pokémon game on launch, which will have already happened by the time you read this. What can I say? I'm kind of interested in the new features that are being added to the game, like the fact that you can actually customize your character (insofar as you can be "pale" or "slightly not so pale").

    Beyond that, it's the first game in the series with 3-D renderings of these creatures as long as you ignore all of the other spin-offs that did the same thing. And not only do you start with one of the three ubiquitous new starter types, you can also pick up a second starter type later on so that you have two special critters sitting in your bank unused!

    What was I talking about? Oh right -- it's WRUP time again. You can check out our play plans past the break and let us know yours in the comments. (Seriously, I will be playing Pokémon.)

    Continue reading WRUP: Exciting new Pokémon features edition

    MassivelyWRUP: Exciting new Pokémon features edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Oct 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: What game got you into MMOs?

      Posted: 12 Oct 2013 06:00 AM PDT

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      I am thirty years old and these pixels bring up intense emotional reactions for me.
      The first MMO I ever played was Final Fantasy XI, but that wasn't what first got me into MMOs. If I hadn't played Final Fantasy VI years earlier and fallen in love with it, odds are I also wouldn't have cared much about Final Fantasy XI. As far as I'm concerned, that's what got me started down the road. For that matter, I probably wouldn't have kept playing MMOs after leaving FFXI rather disappointed if my next game hadn't been City of Heroes.

      For some people, MMOs history is a one-link chain that starts and ends with seeing a specific game and thinking it looks cool. For others it can be traced back to a litany of games that led to both your present and future choice of virtual worlds. So what game got you into MMOs? Was it your first MMO, another game that led to your first MMO, or even something as silly as a card game that led to you making the right friends?

      Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

      MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What game got you into MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Oct 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Betawatch: October 5 - 11, 2013

        Posted: 11 Oct 2013 06:00 PM PDT

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        Here a tank, there a tank, someone really likes tanks.
        If you can't get enough games on your Xbox 360 that involve blowing up and/or driving tanks, you'll be happy to know that World of Tanks is running a beta on the platform this weekend. Take part and you will win more tanks. This is probably a good thing since the whole game centers around tanks. It's the entire world.

        Heva Clonia Online is pushing to open testing starting on the 17th, meaning that you have less than a week to wait if you're enthusiastic for the game but somehow missed the previous (first) closed test. City of Titans, meanwhile, isn't in beta yet, but it is far beyond funded to ensure that there will (hopefully) be a beta down the line.

        Oh, and there is a list of games past the break in various states of testing. If something has sneaked into a new beta phase without our noticing or has added a cash shop without warning, let us know so we can investigate.

        Continue reading Betawatch: October 5 - 11, 2013

        MassivelyBetawatch: October 5 - 11, 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Age of Wushu promises latency improvements and mobile authenticator

          Posted: 11 Oct 2013 05:00 PM PDT

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          Age of Wushu promises latency improvements and mobile authenticator
          In a new set of questions and answers from the Age of Wushu community, Snail Games promised that North American players experiencing lag will soon see relief. "We are taking serious measures to solve the latency problems after escalation," the devs promised. "Server fixes are already on their way. Players in North America will see considerable improvement starting from this week!"

          The devs said that a mobile authenticator is coming later this month to provide better account security. The authenticator will be available for both iOS and Android devices.

          The Q&A article covered other topics such as the cash shop skill, bug fixes, cross-server interactions, and unnecessary chat spam. For those interested in Age of Wushu's upcoming Steam release, the devs said that this is still in the works but currently there is no release date set.

          In a separate post, the studio announced that the Phantom Twin Dagger skill set will be coming to the game next week.

          MassivelyAge of Wushu promises latency improvements and mobile authenticator originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          MMObility: Introducing Deepworld to Minecraft fanatics

          Posted: 11 Oct 2013 04:30 PM PDT

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          Deepworld screenshot
          My nephews are visiting this week; they are nine and seven years old. And if there is one truth about these two, it's that they love Minecraft. Oh, they're also creative and smart young kids, but Minecraft is always a ready topic of conversation. Jeff, the younger one, loves to drill me on my knowledge. "Did you know..." is how it starts off, followed by some cool fact about the game. John, the older one, is calmer about the situation, and he has gained the ability, thanks to his elder status, to pull his gaze away from the game (I have it running on three different PCs and three iPads) in order to maintain an air of politeness. When I ask him something, he can give me an answer that has nothing to do with Minecraft!

          I thought this week would be a cool time to introduce Deepworld to both of them. Deepworld is a fantastic iOS-based Minecraftian MMO that is free-to-play with optional and fantastic cash-shop items. The last time I looked at it, I bought an entire private server for only 10 bucks! I logged in this week for the first time in ages and found my server still sitting, waiting for my creations.

          Then I showed it to my nephews.

          Continue reading MMObility: Introducing Deepworld to Minecraft fanatics

          MassivelyMMObility: Introducing Deepworld to Minecraft fanatics originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Dark Age of Camelot celebrates 12 years of RvR madness

            Posted: 11 Oct 2013 04:00 PM PDT

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            Screenshot -- Dark Age of Camelot
            It's time to break out your party hats, Dark Age of Camelot fans. Today, Mythic Entertainment's seminal RvR-focused title turns 12 years old, and that can only mean one thing: bonuses for everyone! To celebrate the game's 12th anniversary, Mythic is giving players a smorgasbord of experience point, bounty point, and realm point bonuses. The official post also notes that there's plenty more birthday celebration goodness to come.

            And what would a game anniversary be without some heartfelt retrospectives from the developers? Members of the Dark Age of Camelot team, including Mythic Co-Founder Rob Denton, Senior Producer Colin Hicks, and many more all weigh in on the life of DAOC, from its humble beginnings in the ancient era of 2001 to its rise as an influential powerhouse of the MMO industry. So if you're not too busy wreaking havoc upon your enemies on the battlefield, why not head on over to the official site to take a trip down memory lane? Just click on through the link below and enjoy the reminiscence.

            MassivelyDark Age of Camelot celebrates 12 years of RvR madness originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            EverQuest Next dev diary talks exploration

            Posted: 11 Oct 2013 03:30 PM PDT

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            Screenshot -- EverQuest Next
            Today's EverQuest Next Landmark dev diary is all about globe-trotting, and no, we don't mean the kind that involves basketball trick-shots. In the latest dev diary video from the folks at Sony Online Entertainment, Creative Director Jeff Butler and Senior Art Director Rosie Rappaport sit down to give players a brief overview of why exploration matters in the upcoming reincarnation of Norrath. As you may already be aware, the world of EverQuest Next is made up of a number of procedurally generated continents, each with a number of diverse biomes to explore.

            While the motivation to explore in many MMOs is something to the tune of "kill things for XP and loot," the permeable nature of EQN's world adds a new layer of incentive. Each biome, as Butler and Rappaport explain, will contain a variety of different resources and materials that players can use to build their own structures within the world. The duo also addresses the existence of leylines, which, in addition to allowing players to travel around the world, give players the ability to travel between servers. And since players on each server will alter their world's landscape in different ways, there are plenty of opportunities for players to explore each server's unique version of the world. For more tasty exploration details, check out the full video past the cut.

            Continue reading EverQuest Next dev diary talks exploration

            MassivelyEverQuest Next dev diary talks exploration originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Wargaming video dives into World of Warplanes sound design

            Posted: 11 Oct 2013 03:00 PM PDT

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            World of Warplanes
            If you've played Wargaming.net's World of Warplanes, chances are good you've spent a good bit of time listening to your aircraft's engine. As it turns out, those engine sounds you're hearing aren't downloaded from a sound effects library or made up in the studio; a great deal of them are recorded in real life from the very planes featured in the game.

            Wargaming has put together a nice little video showing its sound team working to capture authentic sound effects from dozens of old-school aircraft. The process involves tarmacs, lots of equipment, and just a bit of shirtless dial-tweaking.

            Check it out after the break.

            [Source: Wargaming.net press release]

            Continue reading Wargaming video dives into World of Warplanes sound design

            MassivelyWargaming video dives into World of Warplanes sound design originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Tamriel Infinium: Horizontal vs. vertical progression and the Elder Scrolls Online

              Posted: 11 Oct 2013 02:30 PM PDT

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              Tamriel Infinium Horizontal vs vertical progression vs the Elder Scroll Online
              The week before last, I talked about a hybrid penalty, and I've realized that I did so without actually talking about how progression is slated to work in Elder Scrolls Online. Because ESO wants to emulate the existing Elder Scrolls games in an MMO, we see many of the same ideas ported directly from the single-player game into the online game. This includes training up in a specific weapon and armor, weapon swapping, and skill-based progression. And if you have played other games' skill-based or non-linear progression systems, then you know about the difficulties of balance. ESO, like other games before it, tackles this imbalance by limiting the number of abilities available to a player at a given time.

              Skill progression also takes an interesting turn in ESO as well, and I'm not exactly sure how to define it. Most MMOs follow a vertical progression tree in which you place the game's version of skill points in an upward-growing tree or pyramid, with skills following a guided path to the best skill of a given tree at the top. Usually the limitations placed on these trees are based on level, which gives you a finite number of earnable skill points. I call this vertical progression. Although any good class skill system will have some branches to the side, usually the ultimate goal is to reach the top of the tree to gain the best abilities in that given class.

              Thankfully, Elder Scrolls Online takes a different approach.

              Continue reading Tamriel Infinium: Horizontal vs. vertical progression and the Elder Scrolls Online

              MassivelyTamriel Infinium: Horizontal vs. vertical progression and the Elder Scrolls Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Aethertech design contest winner chosen for Aion

                Posted: 11 Oct 2013 02:00 PM PDT

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                Aethertech design contest winner chosen for Aion
                With the Aethertech class on its way for Aion 4.5, NCsoft has revealed the winner of the "Leave Your Legacy: Aethertech" contest in which players could design one of the mechanized suits for future inclusion in the game. The top pick was the 5H-0G0 by EMPIREinWAR, which is based on the Shugo race.

                The devs were quite taken with the design choice. "We can sum this up in one word: 'witty.' From the naming all the way to the Shugo character itself, this piece was really fun to look at, which is why this is the winner," said Head of the Aion Global Development Art Team Jinhwan Kim.

                The 5H-0G0, like all of the Aethertechs, will use its magical mechanical mount to crush, shoot, flail, and probably cuddle its way through Atreia.

                [Source: NCsoft press release]

                MassivelyAethertech design contest winner chosen for Aion originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  A lively evening of Hearthstone

                  Posted: 11 Oct 2013 01:00 PM PDT

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                  Sitting down for a lively evening of Hearthstone
                  The first thing that hit me when I logged into Hearthstone after begging a beta invite off a friend was an overwhelming tsunami of nostalgia for World of Warcraft. It wasn't surprising, of course; this is the card battling spin-off of WoW by the folks who make WoW. But for a player who hasn't set foot in Azeroth for some time now, the audio and visual cues were like the hit of a powerful drug that opened the pathways to all sorts of memories.

                  The chunky, goofy exterior that Blizzard slathers across the Warcraft franchise often belays a serious depth that number-crunchers and elite strategists attempt to plumb. Both are perfectly at home in Hearthstone, which is affable on the surface but, like many CCGs, has no end to the possibilities in builds and play sessions.

                  So what's it like to sit down to an evening with Hearthstone? I'm glad you asked.

                  Continue reading A lively evening of Hearthstone

                  MassivelyA lively evening of Hearthstone originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Storyboard: Signing up for the team

                    Posted: 11 Oct 2013 12:00 PM PDT

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                    Every so often I like people to try and figure out the unifying thread between the images.  Sometimes there is one and sometimes there isn't.
                    Major organizations in a game's lore are kind of a big deal to the characters living in those games. They represent something important, after all, either in terms of intent or power. So why doesn't your character sign up with the organization of his choice and start working for it instead of just alongside it?

                    What do you mean that there's no mechanical way to fully model that? Come on. Sure, that's a bit of a problem, but if there's one thing you've taken away from my columns other than the word "verisimilitude," it's that no problem is insurmountable.

                    Fortunately, signing on with your in-game organization of choice isn't all that problematic, even if there isn't an actual dotted line to sign for membership. So let's talk about signing up with your local recruitment office for fame, fortune, and the occasional bit of character motivation that you can't massage in any other way.

                    Continue reading Storyboard: Signing up for the team

                    MassivelyStoryboard: Signing up for the team originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      You'll want to own Shroud of the Avatar's Druid town home

                      Posted: 11 Oct 2013 11:00 AM PDT

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                      You'll want to own Shroud of the Avatar's Druid town home
                      This week's Shroud of the Avatar update is a biggun! It features a new combat sigil, which shows off the eight combat schools that a Warrior may choose to follow. There's also a story sneak peek from co-authors Richard Garriott and Tracy Hickman as well as player housing basements.

                      This last bit is a pretty big deal judging by the number of screenshots and verbiage Portalarium devoted to it. And while we're talking about housing, there are also some nifty shots of the game's Druid tree house as well as related discussion from devs Isaac Oster and Michael Hutchison.

                      MassivelyYou'll want to own Shroud of the Avatar's Druid town home originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      MMORPG News

                      MMORPG News


                      Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn: Yoshi-P Signed Standard Edition Giveaway Winners!

                      Posted: 10 Oct 2013 06:00 PM PDT

                      Yoshi-P Signed Standard Edition Giveaway Winners!

                      We've been poring over your entries to our Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Yoshi-P Signed Standard Edition Giveaway and today we're announcing our winners!

                      Shroud of the Avatar: Live Forum Q&A with Starr Long -- MONDAY!

                      Posted: 10 Oct 2013 05:40 PM PDT

                      Live Forum Q&A with Starr Long -- MONDAY!

                      Join us Monday, 10/14 at 7PM ET in our Shroud of the Avatar subforum for a live Q&A with Portalarium's Starr Long.

                      Elder Scrolls Online: Enough Elder Scrolls in the Online?

                      Posted: 09 Oct 2013 06:00 PM PDT

                      Enough Elder Scrolls in the Online?

                      The Elder Scrolls Online will be arriving soon, much to the excitement of fans of the iconic IP. But some worry that there won't be enough Elder Scrolls in the MMO. In today's Tingle's Touchy Subjects, we opine about that subject and await your thoughts in the comments.

                      Aion: 5H0-G0 Wins Fan-Created Aethertech Contest

                      Posted: 11 Oct 2013 07:02 AM PDT

                      5H0-G0 Wins Fan-Created Aethertech Contest

                      Aion and NCsoft recently held a contest to let fans design an Aethertech (think Gundam, Aion-style) suit of armor to be added to game once the new class. Today, the winner is announced.

                      Path of Exile: On Launch, The Future, and Beyond

                      Posted: 09 Oct 2013 05:49 PM PDT

                      On Launch, The Future, and Beyond

                      Path of Exile has been in open beta for quite some time and has been well-received by players. Grinding Gears is ready to launch the game into retail release with some awesome new features. We've got a preview of what can be expected. Check it out and leave us your impressions in the comments.

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