General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Microsoft Removes Retailer Deadline to Stop Selling Windows 7 PCs

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 01:31 PM PST

Windows 7 PCThe new sales deadline is to be determined

Microsoft last week made it be known that system retailers would not be allowed to sell Windows 7 PCs past October 2014. The deadline is known as the "End of sales" date, which refers to the date when a particular version of Windows is no longer shipped to retailers or OEMs, as well as the last day partners are allowed to peddle the OS. After listing October 30, 2014 as the end of sales date for Windows 7, Microsoft pulled a 180 and is now leaving it up in the air.

The revised end of sales for PCs running Windows 7 is now listed as "To be determined," the same as listed for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. So, what happened?

"We have yet to determine the end of sales date for PCs with Windows 7 preinstalled. The October 30, 2014 date that posted to the Windows Lifecycle page globally last week was done so in error," Microsoft said in a statement. "We have since updated the website to note the correct information; however, some non-English language pages may take longer to revert to correctly reflect that the end of sales date is 'to be determined.' We apologize for any confusion this may have caused our customers. We'll have more details to share about the Windows 7 lifecycle once they become available."

What's interesting about this is that Microsoft typically stops selling a version of an OS one year after the next version launches, and stops delivery of the prior edition to OEMs two years after the new one ships. For reference, Windows 8 came out in October 2012, so October 2014 would be the proper date to halt Windows 7 PC sales based on past policy.

If Microsoft extends the deadline past October 2014, it would be the first time since initiating the policy in 2010.

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Tech Giants Team Up to Champion Global Government Surveillance Reform

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 12:45 PM PST

Eight companies collaborate on an open letter to Washington 

Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo, Aol, and LinkedIn have teamed up to call for global government surveillance reform. Rival companies and services are working together to put pressure on Washington to start the path towards reforming government surveillance and maintaining individual privacy.

"The balance in many countries has tipped too far in favor of the state and away from the rights of the individual — rights that are enshrined in our Constitution," says the open letter published on the site. "This undermines the freedoms we all cherish. It's time for change."

Open Letter

The website lists five defining principles: "limiting government's authority to collect users' information, oversight and accountability, transparency about government demands, respecting the free flow of information, and avoiding conflicts among governments."

The initiative has a good point—programs like NSA's PRISM lack independent oversight. We don't get to know where our information is going. Couple that with the fact that many of the affected companies have hordes of our personal information stored on their servers and it's a good thing that there's pushback. 

Most of the companies listed as supporters have been directly targeted by PRISM and other government requests for information. Google and Twitter have been fighting back in small ways and this is likely just the start of a global move towards reforming the laws and practices that are just coming to light.

What do you think? Will this help force Congress to act? Tell us in the comments.

Google News Roundup: White Nexus 7 32GB, Chromecast Bundle, and New Play Edition Devices

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 11:59 AM PST

Nexus 7 WhiteA new color Nexus 7 tablet for the holidays

If you're looking to order a Nexus 7 tablet that looks a little different from the ones your friends and family own, we have good news. It's now available in white, though only for the 32GB Wi-Fi model. Those of you shopping the 16GB SKU are still stuck with black. Other than the color of the backside, it's the same Nexus 7 as any other 2013 model, though Google has some more holiday treats of note.

If you buy a Nexus 7 and Chromecast together, Google will give you a $35 Google Play credit and ship your goods for free. The Google Play credit essentially pays for the Chromecast dongle, so if you can make good use of it, then it's basically a swap in currency.

Finally, Google added a couple of new devices to its Google Play edition lineup. These include the Sony Z Ultra smartphone for $649 and LG G Pad 8.3 for $350. Google Play edition devices automatically receive the latest Android software updates and are free from carrier clutter and third-party overlays.

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Asus Revenue Hit Record High in November on Strong Transformer Book T100 Sales

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 11:08 AM PST

Asus Transformer Book T100Asus is riding the convertible craze

To say November was a good month for Asus is like saying the 1992 U.S. Men's Olympic Basketball Dream Team was decent. Both grossly undersell the accomplishment. The 1992 Dream Team is largely considered the greatest sports team ever assembled (regardless of sports), and for Asus, revenue hit a record high in November at NT$49,298 billion (around $1.67 billion in U.S. currency).

That's an 18.73 percent sequential jump and 2.46 rise compared to the same month a year ago, Digitimes reports. From January to November, Asus collected NT$423.40 billion (~US$14.33 billion), up nearly 3 percent year-over-year.

According to Digitimes, the spike in revenue is mostly due to increasing sales of Transformer Book T100 convertibles, as well as better-than-expected sales of notebooks in Latin America and China.

Asus Transformer Book T100

The Transformer Book T100 is a 10.1-inch detachable 2-in-1 touchscreen laptop with an Intel Atom (quad-core) foundation, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, 64GB SSD, and 11 hour battery life.

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HP Refreshes Elite Portfolio, Rolls Out Slimmest EliteBook Ever

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 10:35 AM PST

HP EliteBook 1040New systems start at $359

Traditional PC sales might be on a decline, but c'mon, they're not evaporating. Therefore it's business as usual for Hewlett-Packard, the world's second largest PC maker, which just updated its Elite line with four new models. One of those new systems is an HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G1, the thinnest and most durable EliteBook to date, the company says. It's 16.1 percent slimmer and 7.3 percent lighter than the previous generation, yet still is able to pass a dozen military-grade tests for reilability and durability.

It weighs 3.3 pounds, has a 14-inch display with a Full HD 1080p resolution, and dual-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processor options. There's also a new pressure-sensitive touchpad to help users speed through familiar touch gestures used with smartphones and tablets.

On the small computing side, HP introduced the EliteDesk 800 G1 Business Desktop Mini. The name pretty much says it all -- it's a mini desktop for business users, and the smallest system HP has offered to date.

HP also announced the EliteDisplay 530tm (its first Windows 8 touch monitor for businesses). It has a 23-inch IPS display, 178-degree viewing angle, VESA mounting support, Full HD 1080p resolution, built-in 720p webcam, dual microphones, and integrated speakers.

As for pricing and availability, the EliteBook Folio 1040 G1 is available now starting at $1,299; the EliteDesk 800 G1 and 600 G1 will be available in April for $669 and $449, respectively; and the EliteDisplay S230tm will be available on January 6 for $359.

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Maxthon Makes Bold Claim, Says Its Browser is Fastest for Windows

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 09:35 AM PST

Maxthon Cloud BrowserNew versions uses Blink rendering engine

Maxthon's developers have officially joined the ranks of braggadocios browser makers who puff out their chest and claim their online vehicle is the fastest around. You may recall that Maxthon (originally called MyIE2) started as a nifty shell of Internet Explorer that brought tabbed browsing to the IE experience. Now dubbed "Maxthon Cloud Browser," these days it stands on its own two feet.

The newest release is a beta build that uses a branched version of the Blink rendering engine combined with Maxthon's own "speed and performance enhancements." The result, according to Maxthon's team, is the world's fastest browser, trumping Chrome 30 by 10 percent (Maxthon's figures, not ours).

"Our challenge to our team was to build a browser that is faster and lighter than Chrome," said Jeff Chen, CEO and founder of Maxthon. "I'm pleased to say that our team rose to the challenge and exceeded expectations. The new architecture nets 40 percent faster start times than previous iterations and test results comparing the new Maxthon 4.1.3.700 against Chrome 30 show that Maxthon is 10 percent faster. Plus, our proprietary approach to 3rd party cookie handling is a boon for anyone who wants the personalization benefit of the cookie without allowing ad networks to track their usage."

Maxthon says its browser has a reduced memory footprint and low CPU usage. It also boasts support for WebGL and has a GPU accelerator, along with deep support for HTML5 coding. That's all fine and dandy, but is it truly the fastest? In our limited testing, it certainly feels snappy, though the few impromptu benchmarks we ran show that Maxthon's claim might be a little ambitious.

Maxthon Browser

Since Maxthon compared itself to Chrome, we ran a few benchmarks on a daily workhorse system (Asus G73J laptop) with Chrome 31 installed, one version higher than Maxthon's comparison. However, the Chrome browser had several open tabs and extensions installed, whereas Maxthon represents a clean install. Here's how things shook out:

SunSpider 1.0.2
Chrome: 193.4ms
Maxthon: 417.5ms

Futuremark Peacekeeper
Chrome: 2318
Maxthon: 2213

Google Octane v2.0
Chrome: 8869
Maxthon: 8509

HTML5Test.com
Chrome: 503
Maxthon: 515

Chrome won three of the four benchmarks, though Maxthon was nipping at its heels in each test. A full gamut of tests on a proper testbed is needed to tell the whole story, but from our quick examination, it looks like Maxthon is right up there with the best, albeit it doesn't yet take the speed crown.

The newest version of Maxthon is available to download now.

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Start Menu to Make a Glorious Return in Upcoming Windows "Threshold" Update

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 08:07 AM PST

Start MenuIt's about damn time!

The Start menu is coming, the Start menu is coming! Feel free to run up and down the aisles of your office building shouting the news at the top of your lungs. Act crazy enough and you may not have a job tomorrow, but at least you can look forward to the return of a feature in Windows 8/8.1 that should never have been left out in the first place. Oh, and to be clear, don't confuse the Start menu with the Start button, the latter of which made its triumphant return in Windows 8.1, but without the all-important menu (thanks for the half-assed concession, Microsoft).

Here's the deal -- the Start menu isn't returning tomorrow, next week, or even next month. Instead, it will be an optional feature in Windows "Threshold," the codename for Microsoft's next wave of updates scheduled for 2015 and designed to unify the Windows experience, according to Paul Thurrott and information scattered all over the web.

As ZDNet explains things, Threshold will include updates to all three OS platforms -- Xbox One, Windows, and Windows Phone, all three of which share a common Windows NT core. Things get a little fuzzy at this point, but Threshold is supposed to bring these OSes even closer together.

In addition to the return of the Start menu as you once knew it, Threshold will also give users the option of running Metro apps in floating windows on the desktop, a feature that today requires the help of third-party utilities.

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Newegg Daily Deals: D-Link DIR-850L Wireless AC1200 Router, Acer 27-inch LED Monitor, and More!

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 07:14 AM PST

D-Link DIR-850Lnewegg logo

Top Deal:

Remember thinking that a 56K modem was fast? The Internet has grown up since then, and so has our home networking needs. Instead of plaything LAN Frisbee with MP3 files, today we toss around gigabytes of data and stream high definition movies from room to room. The good news is you don't have to rob you children of their college funds to keep up with the times. Upgrading to 802.11ac on the cheap is as easy as taking advantage of today's top deal for a D-Link DIR-850L Wireless AC1200 Dual Band Gigabit Cloud Router for $70 with free shipping (normally $130; use coupon code: [EMCWVXP57]). This router serves speeds of up to 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 867Mbps on the 5GHz band, has a cloud management feature, and is backwards compatible so you can still surf the net while shopping a wireless AC adapter.

Other Deals:

G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-14900CL9D-8GBXL for $47 with free shipping (normally $75; use coupon code: [GSKILLHOL])

Corsair Hydro Series H90 High Performance Water/Liquid CPU Cooler. 140mm for $75 with free shipping (normally $100; use coupon code: [EMCWVXP63])

Acer G6 G276HLGbd Black 27-inch 6ms Widescreen LED Backlight Monitor for $190 with free shipping (normally $300; use coupon code: [EMCWVXP47])

HP Smartbuy LV2311 Black 23-inch 5ms Widescreen LED-Backlit LCD Monitor for $110 with free shipping (normally $160; use coupon code: [EMCWVXP43])

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Flameseeker Chronicles: The trouble with Scarlet in Guild Wars 2

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 09:00 AM PST

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Scarlet from the Nightmares Within cutscene
Scarlet Briar has a lot of enemies. She's set up a little empire at the top of Guild Wars 2's hated character list, roasting marshmallows on the thousands of critical forum posts she's inspired. ArenaNet already has the living story's current arc planned out, but that hasn't stopped a number of forum posters from demanding an immediate stop to Scarlet's involvement and a complete retcon of the character. I think that's a silly thing to ask for, and I don't believe anyone would be pleased with the results if it happened, but disliking her is valid enough.

Wintersday will be the last GW2 content release of 2014, and it's been confirmed that Scarlet won't be putting in an appearance to ruin the holiday. To borrow ArenaNet's TV show metaphor, I'd say it feels as if the last few living story updates were sort of the season finale, so I think it's a good time to look back at our controversial primary antagonist and her role in the story.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: The trouble with Scarlet in Guild Wars 2

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: The trouble with Scarlet in Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Gloria Victis launches new website with latest info

    Posted: 10 Dec 2013 08:30 AM PST

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    Fans following the medieval MMO Gloria Victis now have a new website to peruse; Black Eye Games has announced that after many revisions, the new site is ready and filled with new concepts and game lore. Want to learn about the combat and equipment or the various nations and the geography? Now you can.

    For those who want to contribute to the development of the game, the new website makes it easier by utilizing the Xsolla, a complex international payment system that offers hundreds of payment methods including SMS payments. Those who have already donated as well as those who choose to do so now will be eligible for future thank-you gift packs that include such things as a custom-drawn coat of arms and your name carved on plaques and gravestones that all appear in the game. More information can be found on the new official site.

    [Source: Black Eye Games press release]

    MassivelyGloria Victis launches new website with latest info originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Black Desert's English client is being worked on by Pearl Abyss

      Posted: 10 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

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      Sure.
      Are you eagerly anticipating a release of Black Desert in the west despite the lack of an official publisher or anything similar? There's good news to be had if you're one of the hopeful. Apparently an English client is being worked on by developer Pearl Abyss, reinforcing earlier statements by the company that success and release in the US is very important to the game's long-term viability.

      The preview screenshots for this client still aren't complete, but it's clear that the game is taking some serious steps towards localization for a non-Korean audience. A global simultaneous launch is unlikely, of course, but if the client is already localized that clears a major hurdle for the game's release prospects. It's not a deal with an existing publisher, but lately that may not have been so reassuring to fans after all.

      [Thanks to WNxArcticwolf for the tip!]

      MassivelyBlack Desert's English client is being worked on by Pearl Abyss originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Upcoming EverQuest Next Landmark livestream will discuss harvesting

      Posted: 10 Dec 2013 07:30 AM PST

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      You've asked for more details about EverQuest Next Landmark, and now you're getting them... tomorrow, that is. On Wednesday, December 11th at 7:00 p.m. EST, devs will be giving you the scoop on gathering in the next Landmark livestream.

      Senior Producer Terry Michaels, Producer Emily "Domino" Taylor, and Community Manager Colette "Dexella" Murphy will be showing off even more in-game building while discussing other features and revealing new concept art. Currently on the table are the topics of harvesting and mining as well as character naming, but if you hop in the official Twitch channel, you just might get your own questions answered as well!

      MassivelyUpcoming EverQuest Next Landmark livestream will discuss harvesting originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      DUST 514: Uprising upgrades factional warfare, vehicles, and more

      Posted: 10 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST

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      The Uprising has begun. Today, CCP rolls out DUST 514's 1.7 update, dubbed Uprising, which includes new weapons, a new volcano-themed battleground, and an overhauled vehicle system. On top of that, the studio is strengthening the link between the ground game and EVE Online. Oh, and you can shoot your comrades now, too!

      Two new rifles join the game's arsenal: the Minmatar Combat Rifle (short and medium ranges) and the Caldari Rifle (for long range). The vehicle changes, while streamlining vehicle fitting and laying a foundation for future vehicle variations, also address some players requests; temporary lock-timers will prevent anyone other than vehicle owners and squadmates from hopping in a vehicle (for five and 15 seconds, respectively) after it is deployed.

      If you want higher stakes in factional warfare, you've got it, as friendly fire has been enabled. Additionally, players participating in factional contracts will receive loyalty point that can buy exclusive faction-aligned weapons. And those orbital strikes? Those have to be earned by capsuleers in EVE Online by securing orbiting satellites. More details are available on the official site.

      [Source: CCP press release]

      MassivelyDUST 514: Uprising upgrades factional warfare, vehicles, and more originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Inferno Legend moves into closed beta testing

        Posted: 10 Dec 2013 06:45 AM PST

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        Yeah, all right.
        Have you ever sat down to play Diablo III and thought that the game would be better if you were playing alongside the villains? Considering the fact that angels in that game are also tremendous jerks, it's kind of an understandable thought. Inferno Legend is meant to speak directly to that impulse, putting players on the side of Hell and the demons fighting back against legions of humans, angels, and similar antagonists trying to kick you out of hell.

        Taking the role of Vampires, Mummies, Cyclops, Faeries, or Samurai, players fight back in a turn-based Diablo-style environment. It's also boasting synchronization between browser-based gameplay, mobile clients, and traditional desktop clients, so you can play however you please while still making progress. The game has just entered its closed beta testing today, so if this sounds like just your cup of tea, you should go ahead and sign up in hopes of taking part.

        [Source: Changyou press release]

        MassivelyInferno Legend moves into closed beta testing originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Age of Wushu introducing school betrayals

          Posted: 10 Dec 2013 06:30 AM PST

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          Exiled players are required to spend a minimum of two hours a day staring wistfully at structures.
          Traditionally, your school in Age of Wushu isn't something that changes. Once you've signed on with a school, that's your home forever. But with the upcoming betrayal mechanics, you can move from being a dedicated partisan of one school to being an initiate of another. And you aren't even just limited to changing schools because you were kicked out of the first one, since the game offers several departure options for those who want to see how the other half lives.

          Betrayal is the obvious choice, which will allow you to immediately leave with the cost of losing your school-specific identity, titles, internal skills, fashion... you get the idea. In trade, you can join any of the seven other schools or one of the new sects launching with the next major update. The Excursion route still takes your identity, titles, and fashion, but your internal skills are merely lowered. Incognito takes this a step further, merely locking your titles and such while leaving your first three skill slots unaffected. These latter two options allow you to explore the new sects with lesser consequence, but both are meant to be more costly and time-consuming. It's up to you if you want to continue to be loyal or start walking the path of betrayal.

          MassivelyAge of Wushu introducing school betrayals originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Massively Speaking Episode 276: Ever, Larry

          Posted: 10 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST

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          It wouldn't be the end of the year and the holiday season if there weren't a heap of weird, wild, and wooly stuff going on in the news! This week, Larry and Justin put on their Santa beards (it doesn't translate well over audio, but the beards were there) to cover an expansion launch, a major streaming controversy, and eye-popping previews of upcoming content. It's a hoot, folks. A hoot.

          Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

          Get the podcast:
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          [MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
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          Listen here on the page:



          Read below the cut for the full show notes.

          Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 276: Ever, Larry

          MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 276: Ever, Larry originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            EVE Online adds Twitch.tv integration

            Posted: 10 Dec 2013 05:45 AM PST

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            EVE Online
            Today EVE Online is updating the game with Twitch.tv integration, allowing players an easy way to stream their play sessions.

            To use it, players simply need to sign up for a Twitch.tv account and then access the feature from the social menu in the game. Streams can be set to private if the user only desires a select few to view his or her victories.

            The devs say that this move will definitely help out aspiring streamers: "By integrating an SDK created by Twitch.tv into EVE, you can now completely bypass the 3rd party software and stream directly from the EVE client. Amazing!"

            [Thanks to Chrysillis for the tip!]

            MassivelyEVE Online adds Twitch.tv integration originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Guild Wars 2 devs show off Wintersday features

            Posted: 10 Dec 2013 05:30 AM PST

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            Guild Wars 2 Wintersday 2013
            If you missed yesterday's Wintersday livestream, ArenaNet was kind enough to release the recorded video showing off some of the goodies we can expect in the Wintersday celebration for Guild Wars 2 that starts today. Devs Jake Miller and Matt Witter demonstrate the difficulty of the winter-themed jumping puzzles, the Guitar-Hero-esque Bell Choir, PvP snowball fights, and more.

            You can watch the full video after the cut and enjoy the new Wintersday content running from today through the next six weeks.

            Continue reading Guild Wars 2 devs show off Wintersday features

            MassivelyGuild Wars 2 devs show off Wintersday features originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Daily Grind: Do visuals change your opinion on classes?

            Posted: 10 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST

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            loldrood
            I had a reasonably high-level druid whom I had completely abandoned in World of Warcraft simply because I didn't like forever being shifted into another form. Then I found that Glyph of the Stars exists, and suddenly I'm not only playing the class but enjoying it again. There's no practical mechanical difference, just that I can actually see my character now. And that might seem like a trivial thing, but the decision of how classes move and look can have a pretty big impact.

            Think about it -- the Engineer of WildStar could just as easily be summoning animal pets, but a big part of its visual appeal is the fact that it carts around robots. Mesmers in Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 have a mechanical identity, but the pink-to-purple spell effects and obvious illusions are meant to impress players with a genuine sense of style. Do visuals change your opinions on classes? Or do you look purely at the mechanics and not care about how the whole thing looks in play?

            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: Do visuals change your opinion on classes? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Space MMO Entropy hits Steam's Early Access

              Posted: 10 Dec 2013 04:30 AM PST

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              Entropy
              Norwegian game studio Artplant, responsible for Battlestar Galactica Online, has announced another new space MMO entitled Entropy. The persistant, open-universe game is available through Steam's Early Access program and features dynamic trading and space combat in a sandbox world.

              The game currently sells for $19.99, but Founders packs ($99.99) are available for those looking to get in on the game early with a little more ooph. All wealth and XP progressions from this early access period will remain through to launch.

              You can check the game out on its Steam page for more screenshots and an impressive gameplay video.

              [Source: Artplant press release]

              MassivelySpace MMO Entropy hits Steam's Early Access originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Not So Massively: LoL's e-sports controversy, Dota 2's matchmaking overhaul, and more

                Posted: 09 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST

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                Game title image
                The MOBA e-sports community was enraged this week when it was reported that professional League of Legends players participating in the 2014 championship series had been barred by contract from livestreaming competing games. The list of competing games included the entire Blizzard lineup and practically every MOBA, including several that no longer exist. Dota 2 gave players an inside look at its upcoming matchmaking revamp, which introduces a new Ranked Matchmaking system. And SMITE revealed details of its versatile new mage character Nu Wa, Guardian of Heaven.

                Diablo III beta testers put together videos of some of the new monster affixes in the game's upcoming expansion, including an inventive Wormhole modifier that essentially lets the elite monster teleport players. Path of Exile's new dueling and PvP tournament features have been delayed until after patch 1.0.3, and developers briefly showed a new tower zone that will come at the end of the game. Star Citizen hit the $34 million mark this week, unlocking a new smuggling ship and locking in future plans for a strange new solar system with a black hole instead of a star. And Elite: Dangerous retired its early backer rewards ahead of today's web store relaunch.

                Continue reading Not So Massively: LoL's e-sports controversy, Dota 2's matchmaking overhaul, and more

                MassivelyNot So Massively: LoL's e-sports controversy, Dota 2's matchmaking overhaul, and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Glitch fan remembers Tiny Speck title with massive avatar poster

                  Posted: 09 Dec 2013 04:30 PM PST

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                  Glitch avatar posterMMOs come and MMOs go, and while every game was someone's favorite, there are a few enormously influential MMOs that continue to be enormously influential long after they've closed down.

                  Star Wars Galaxies was one. City of Heroes was another. And while Tiny Speck's Glitch was only around for a fraction of those titles' long-lived lifespans, it nonetheless made an impression.

                  Don't believe me? Check out artist Cami Avellar's contribution to the one-year anniversary of Glitch's demise. It's a poster featuring over 250 Glitch avatars, and it took over three weeks and 100 hours to make!

                  [Thanks Danielle!]

                  MassivelyGlitch fan remembers Tiny Speck title with massive avatar poster originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's wacky Winter Event

                  Posted: 09 Dec 2013 04:00 PM PST

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                  STO Winter Event
                  Ah, the holiday season! I've learned over the past few years that MMO developers must really look forward to working on their respective games' winter events because they're allowed to break free from the rigidity of individual franchises and create things that are a bit more avant garde.

                  OK, maybe not every developer, but one thing's for sure: The team over at Cryptic certainly uses the Winter Event in Star Trek Online to allow its silly flag to fly. The Star Trek Online Winter Event has incrementally grown bigger and wackier since it first began, and this year's festivities are no exception.

                  Continue reading Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's wacky Winter Event

                  MassivelyCaptain's Log: Star Trek Online's wacky Winter Event originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Dorn's Worf the subject of latest Star Trek Online dev blog

                    Posted: 09 Dec 2013 03:30 PM PST

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                    Here's Worf
                    Star Trek Online lead writer Christine "Kestrel" Thompson has authored the 28th dev blog concerning STO's Season 8 content. The blog's subject is actor Michael Dorn, better known in Star Trek circles as Worf.

                    Thompson details how Dorn was able to perform Worf's voice-overs in a Los Angeles studio while Cryptic devs listened in via Skype and directed the session. Thompson also mentions that KDF players will notice even more voice-overs in early Klingon missions once this week's scheduled update has gone live.

                    MassivelyDorn's Worf the subject of latest Star Trek Online dev blog originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Alfheim Tales launching its first server on the 11th

                    Posted: 09 Dec 2013 03:00 PM PST

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                    I have no idea what this game is about and this picture is not answering any questions.
                    Lately it seems as if you can't throw a stone without hearing about one game or another shutting down. It's to the point where you just want to hear about some game that's actually launching. Well, good news: Alfheim Tales is launching on December 11th, opening its first server with the possibility of more coming later. And seeing as it's a free-to-play browser title, you aren't even going to have to do much to get into the game for the first time.

                    The game is also kicking off a variety of launch events, encouraging players to jump in and start playing right away, although the details of these events haven't been specified. Regardless, if you want to take a spin in a game that's starting fresh amidst a sea of closures, be sure to have your browser primed on the 11th.

                    MassivelyAlfheim Tales launching its first server on the 11th originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Blade & Soul surpasses 1.8 million concurrent users in China

                    Posted: 09 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST

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                    Blade & Soul
                    Western Blade & Soul fans may be wondering when, or if, NCsoft is ever going to bring the martial arts fantasy MMO to their shores. Chinese fans, on the hand, are scarfing up the title as quickly as publisher Tencent can add additional servers.

                    MMO Culture reports that the firm added another hardware group last week, bringing the total to a whopping 195 servers and helping to alleviate shard congestion. The site also notes that concurrent users have surpassed 1.8 million while active users sits somewhere around the 18 million mark.

                    MassivelyBlade & Soul surpasses 1.8 million concurrent users in China originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Elder Scrolls Online Ask Us Anything details character progression

                    Posted: 09 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST

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                    Screenshot -- The Elder Scrolls Online
                    The latest installment of ZeniMax's "Ask Us Anything" question-and-answer feature is all about progression in The Elder Scrolls Online. Players from ESO's French and German fansites, Game-guide.fr and TESOnline.de, have submitted a great deal of questions which are added to the usual variety of inquiries culled from the many corners of the internet, so this entry is particularly lengthy and packed full of information.

                    Throughout the slew of questions and answers, the ESO devs reveal that players will be able to re-spec their characters' attribute and skill points for an unspecified sum of gold and that in addition to the standard skill lines, there will also be two skill lines "designed to be particularly useful" in PvP. On top of that, the devs delve into detail on ability morphing, the potential addition of future skill lines, the role of attributes in character progression, racial traits and skills, and much more. If you're looking to find out more, just head over to the Elder Scrolls Online official site.

                    MassivelyElder Scrolls Online Ask Us Anything details character progression originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Camelot Unchained Q&A talks box copies, name reservations, and stretch goals

                    Posted: 09 Dec 2013 01:30 PM PST

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                    Camelot Unchained
                    The community got to kick several questions at the Camelot Unchained team lately, the answers to many of which were returned with gusto in a new Q&A post.

                    Some of the topics included boxed copies of the game being limited for collectors only, name reservations being done on a first-come basis through Founder's Points, and additional funding stretch goals for developing the Depths and adding more team members to the project. The magic system is coming along as well: "Mark [Jacobs] has been writing and editing the magic and combat systems documents and we have had team meetings to give him feedback. Once we have these systems to a point where the team feels that they are exciting and workable, then we can start releasing details to the community."

                    The team also gave its monthly update regarding the development of the game. Special mentions were given to work being done on the archery system and preparation for the January playtest.

                    MassivelyCamelot Unchained Q&A talks box copies, name reservations, and stretch goals originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    The Stream Team: Browsing Eldevin with Beau

                    Posted: 09 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST

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                    Eldevin screenshot
                    Do you like new browser games with an isometric view? If you're not sure, you should join Massively's Beau Hindman as he streams Eldevin, a newly launched MMO by Hunted Cow studios! Join us live at 4:00 p.m.

                    Game: Eldevin
                    Host: Beau
                    Date: Monday, December 9th, 2013
                    Time: 4:00 p.m. EST

                    Enjoy our Steam Team video below.

                    Continue reading The Stream Team: Browsing Eldevin with Beau

                    MassivelyThe Stream Team: Browsing Eldevin with Beau originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      Dota 2's Frostivus celebration is coming

                      Posted: 09 Dec 2013 12:30 PM PST

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                      Dota 2 - Frostivus
                      Valve has announced that Dota 2's holiday-themed Frostivus event is on its way, though exact details are still somewhat sparse. The announcement, made via the official Dota 2 website, says only that "Frostivus is coming." The page hints at content to come, including what appear to be new crafting items and some sort of gift exchange in addition to the obligatory event-themed chests. The frosty, snow-covered map of Frostivus 2012 is also likely to return.

                      Fans of Dota 2 will remember that last year's Frostivus event was canceled due to an influx of gift-snatching Greevils. We'll just have to wait and see if the same tragedy befalls this year's festivities.

                      MassivelyDota 2's Frostivus celebration is coming originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      Chaos Theory: The Christmas devil cometh to The Secret World

                      Posted: 09 Dec 2013 12:00 PM PST

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                      TSW
                      One of the bright spots of my month is when that game director letter from Joel Bylos rolls across my feed. It's like new magazine day, back when magazines were a thing instead of an ancient relic of the '90s, and I push everything aside just to slowly pick through the letter and find out what's coming to The Secret World.

                      Bylos' November letter had a lot to say, most of it good but a little disappointing. Yes, Tokyo and Issue 9 are being pushed to "early 2014" (I bet February) to get it up to snuff. It's one of those announcements that has the loyal saying things like, "Good for them! Quality over a rush job, I always say!" but then they go home and cry a little in secret. I'll admit that it's a bit of a bummer, especially with my overall disappointment with Issue 8. I guess it'll give me a little more time to grind out oreos and augments, and perhaps work on my long-neglected Illuminati alt.

                      With the bad out of the way, let's dissect and analyze what the future has in store for TSW. What's that? A Christmas devil! Oh my, things are about to get interesting. Well, interestinger.

                      Continue reading Chaos Theory: The Christmas devil cometh to The Secret World

                      MassivelyChaos Theory: The Christmas devil cometh to The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        No Man's Sky might not be an MMO, but it's certainly a close cousin

                        Posted: 09 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST

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                        Sometimes it's obvious who made a mistake.
                        Science fiction has always been about a sense of wonder, but a lot of the time that sense of wonder takes a back seat to enormous spaceships blowing one another to pieces. That's all well and good, but it's not what No Man's Sky is aiming for. The game is meant to be about exploring a strange and vast universe of procedurally generated planets. In a move that should excite MMO fans, the game will apparently include a shared playing space for everyone.

                        The game at its heart features a shared space for all players, with the impact of one person's actions having a ripple effect. What form of interactions you'll be able to have remains to be seen, but the developers behind the game want to offer the idea that pure exploration is a dangerous and hostile affair in environments that may not welcome you. As the game progresses through development, we'll be keeping an eye on it, since the idea of a pseudo-MMO allowing you to trek across the endless darkness of space and interact with others is a heady once -- even if your interactions are only through the consequences of the other person's passing.

                        [We've now added the trailer after the cut.]

                        Continue reading No Man's Sky might not be an MMO, but it's certainly a close cousin

                        MassivelyNo Man's Sky might not be an MMO, but it's certainly a close cousin originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        Defiance's Arkbreaker lets players bring down the sky

                        Posted: 09 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST

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                        Defiance Arkbreaker screenshot
                        Defiance developer Trion Worlds promises quite a bit with the game's latest DLC, Arkbreaker, starting with the ability to literally call massive Arks down from the sky. That's right; with this new DLC you'll be able to spot small and large incoming Arkfalls on your map, get yourself to the location, and place one to four batteries that will then hack into one of the orbiting Arks, forcing one to fall to your location. You'll see it break through the sky and crash nearby for your entertainment.

                        After it lands, you and as many people you can summon to your aid will fight through an initial wave of baddies, taking on average between seven and 10 minutes, until a hole is blown into the side of the Ark. Once that happens, you can jump in to fight for your life and for some really, really good loot.

                        We sat down with Creative Lead Trick Dempsey and Social Media Manager Greg Laabs to talk about the new content.

                        Continue reading Defiance's Arkbreaker lets players bring down the sky

                        MassivelyDefiance's Arkbreaker lets players bring down the sky originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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