General Gaming Article

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• Fallout 4 On the Way, Takes Place in Boston
• Get Your Hands on SteamOS This Weekend
• EU Court Shoots Down Cisco's Complaint Against Microsoft's Skype Deal
• Dell Unaffected by Scroogled Campaign, Joins the Chromebook Movement
• SugarSync Turns Bitter Towards Freeloaders, Going Paid-Only in February 2014
• Digital Storm Teases High End Steam Machine for Power Players
• Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2013
• Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2013 - Toys
• Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2013 - Games
• Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2013 - Gadgets

Fallout 4 On the Way, Takes Place in Boston Posted: 11 Dec 2013 06:12 PM PST War never changes, but Fallout does Rumors about Fallout 4 have been flying around for a while. One of the most popular was the suggestion that the game would call Boston home and it seems that the game and locale have been confirmed by casting documents leaked to Kotaku. The documents sent in by a reader reference a project code-named Institute—not unlike the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Fallout isn't explicitly mentioned in any of the documents, but they do include specific descriptions of characters and actual scripts including one that starts off with the franchise's characteristic: "War. War never changes." Possible characters include DJ Travis Miles and "a cross between Buddy Holly and Vin Diesel" named Sturges. The documents also reveal that the game starts with the player in a cryogenic sleep chamber. None of the details are set in stone, but they're interesting tidbits to hold us over until we get an official announcement. We're not sure who's developing the game although Bethesda Game Studios is the obvious choice with Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls series under their belt. We do now know that Fallout 4 is on the way and that it's set in Boston. What do you think? Are you excited to explore the Commonwealth?

Get Your Hands on SteamOS This Weekend Posted: 11 Dec 2013 05:56 PM PST Valve's operating system is coming out December 13 Prototype Steam Machines will ship out on December 13 to 300 lucky users with the Steam Controller and Linux-based SteamOS in tow. For everyone else, Valve has announced that SteamOS will be available for download once the prototypes ship. Unfortunately, the operating system might not be ready for primetime. Valve warns that "unless you're an intrepid Linux hacker already, we're going to recommend that you wait until later in 2014 to try it out." At the very least, it's a chance for us to get a hands-on look at it before further announcements at CES.  The 300 selected beta testers should already know who they are since the notifications went out earlier today, but diehard fans should be content with fiddling around with SteamOS. Valve also casually mentioned that the in-home streaming beta is also almost ready.  Were you one of the lucky 300? Are you excited for SteamOS? Tell us in the comments!

EU Court Shoots Down Cisco's Complaint Against Microsoft's Skype Deal Posted: 11 Dec 2013 01:34 PM PST Microsoft's deal with Skype stands Everything is rosy in Redmond today. In one of Steve Ballmer's last stands before handing the reigns to someone else, a European court ruled against claims made by Cisco that Microsoft's $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype would amount to an anti-competitive advantage. With the decision, Microsoft is free to continue marketing Skype's video calls to consumers and businesses without making concessions to Cisco or other competitors. Cisco mounted the challenge last year, at the time urging the European Commission to implement restrictions on the takeover to prevent Microsoft from ever being able to have a monopoly on the future of video communications, Reuters reports. "Imagine how difficult it would be if you were limited to calling people who only use the same carrier or if your phone could only call certain brands and not others," Marthin De Beer, senior vice president of Cisco's video and collaboration group, wrote in February 2012, according to AllThingsD. "Cisco wants to avoid this future." Cisco failed to convince the Luxembourg-based General Court that Microsoft's deal with Skype would ultimately harm competition. "Today's judgment by the EU General Court confirms that the Commission was correct in its assessment that the acquisition of Skype by Microsoft would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area," the EU antitrust regulator said in a statement following today's ruling. In March of this year, Microsoft COO Kevin Turner stated that over 280 million users spend more than 100 minutes per month making voice calls via Skype. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Dell Unaffected by Scroogled Campaign, Joins the Chromebook Movement Posted: 11 Dec 2013 12:38 PM PST Yet another OEM is swayed by Chromebooks Microsoft really should rethink its relentless "Scroogled" campaign and in particular its vendetta against Chromebooks. We're not saying Microsoft should readily embrace a competitor's ecosystem, but the more hardware partners that join the Chromebook movement, the sillier Microsoft looks for disparaging the platform. We bring this up because Dell, the world's third largest PC maker, just announced a Chromebook of its own. It's the Dell Chromebook 11 and like most Chromebooks, it's best suited for the education segment. There are two configurations available, both with an 11.6-inch display with a 1366x768 resolution, Intel Celeron 2955U processor (Haswell architecture), 16GB embedded solid state drive, 720p webcam, 802.11n Wi-Fi, two USB 3.0 ports, Bluetooth 4.0, HDMI output, and a battery good for up to 10 hours of run time. One configuration will have 2GB of DDR3 RAM and the other will have 4GB of DDR RAM. "Dell believes that when implemented successfully, teachers, students and technology work together to enrich the learning process," said Neil Hand, vice president, Tablet and Performance PC Group, Dell. "The Dell Chromebook 11 will give schools and districts another tool to consider as they plan their digital content and curriculum strategies, and its competitive pricing will help open access to technology for more students around the country." The Dell Chromebook 11 with 4GB will be available in January 2014 and the 2GB model during the first quarter of 2014. Dell was a little coy on pricing, saying only that the "Chromebook 11 is expected to sell below $300." Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

SugarSync Turns Bitter Towards Freeloaders, Going Paid-Only in February 2014 Posted: 11 Dec 2013 12:05 PM PST The free ride is almost over SugarSync users who have been enjoying the service's free 2GB tier received some news today that they may find hard to swallow. Beginning February 8, 2014, SugarSync will no longer welcome freeloaders to the fold, and instead will adopt a paid-only model. On the bright side, customers will still be able to try the service at no cost for 90 days and 5GB (or 30 days for any of the paid plans), but after that, it comes time to pay the piper. "There are many companies in this space that are giving away free storage, however, most of these companies will not be viable. We are already in a solid financial position and this shift will further strengthen our business," SugarSync CEO Mike Grossman said. "Also, this change will allow us to better serve loyal customers and expand our service offerings. We're excited about the next stage in our growth and confident that our customers and new users alike will achieve greater value through these enhancements." It's not clear if pricing for any of the tiers will change in February, but as it currently stands here are the paid options to choose from: 60GB: $7.49/month ($74.99/year) 100GB: $9.99/month ($99.99/year) 250GB: $24.99/month ($249.99/year) 1000GB: $55/month ($550/year) As previously mentioned, SugarSync allows a 30-day trial for any of the above plans, or you can test the service free for 90 days capped at 5GB. Once that expires, however, you must move to a paid tier. This is a bit of a bummer, as SugarSync is one of the better cloud-based backups out there. It's also risky on SugarSync's part when you consider the free alternatives that are available. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Digital Storm Teases High End Steam Machine for Power Players Posted: 11 Dec 2013 11:30 AM PST A boutique built Steam Machine with a 'take no prisoners' approach Let's get one thing straight -- even though Valve is making a push for PC gamers to plop their rumps in the living room where console gaming has traditional ruled the roost, there's no mandate that says a Steam Machine has to be only as powerful as an Xbox One or PlayStation 4 (or Nintendo Wii). Taking that to heart, boutique builder Digital Storm makes no bones about the fact that it's upcoming Steam Machine won't compete with consoles on price, but in return for a higher price tag, gamers will receive a premium set of components that send consoles cowering in the corner. Details are light at the moment, though we did manage to squeeze a few tidbits out of Digital Storm. The company's first Steam Machine will start at $1,469 and offer configurations that can handle an Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan graphics card. It will have a liquid-cooled CPU, advanced airflow thermal management, and up to a 700W power supply. Digital Storm's rig will ship with both Valve's Linux-based SteamOS and Microsoft Windows, allowing the PC gaming master race to play any computer game out there. As for setup, you can place the system horizontally or vertically in your entertainment center, whichever is more convenient. That's all Digital Storm is willing to divulge at the moment. More information will come to light at CES in January, though in the meantime, you can subscribe to receive updates on Digital Storm's pre-launch website. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2013 Posted: 11 Dec 2013 11:23 AM PST Maximum PC's Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2013 It's that time of year again where we get to pretend we're sharing with you gift ideas to show that special geek in your life just how much you care, but in reality, we all look at these guides and think to ourselves, "That's flippin' cool, I'm gonna buy that for myself!" Hey, there's no shame in that. There's some seriously cool swag for geeks out there, and if you're primarily interested in shopping for yourself, so be it -- go treat yourself to whatever floats your fancy on this list and re-gift Aunt Mabel's fruitcake to whoever it was you were shopping for in the first place. If, on the other hand, you're truly interested in culling gift ideas for your Star Trek-loving boyfriend or bacon-obsessed girlfriend, well friends, you still came to the right place. Is he or she a fan of The Walking Dead? We've got you covered with a wide range of gift ideas, everything from canned unicorn meat (seriously) to a peripheral that will turn an iPhone into a handheld game console, to more traditional items like computer components. We've separated our gift ideas into four different categories to make it easier to find exactly what you didn't know you were looking for. However, for best results, give each gallery a glance -- there's some seriously cool stuff in here and you don't want to miss out! Jump To: Gadgets Games Toys PC Hardware You know what you won't find in this guide? Console recommendations. Let the peasants debate over which is better, the Xbox One or PlayStation 4. We're part of the PC master race and we'll defend our platform of choice until the end of time. We're also always willing to invite new members into the fold, and what better way to do that than by gifting someone a pile of parts? From CPUs to GPUs and beyond, here's a look at some bang-for-the-buck PC parts and components that hit the price-to-performance sweet spot and would make great gifts.   *Note: Prices reflect time of print. They are subject to change.   NEXT PAGE: GADGETS

Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2013 - Toys Posted: 11 Dec 2013 11:22 AM PST Jump To: PC Hardware Gadgets Games Toys and MISC This is our catch-all category for items that don't fit tidily into any other space. You know, standard fare stuff like canned unicorn meat and The Walking Dead Monopoly. Think both of those are awesome? We do too, but wait until you see what else is included here. These are surefire winners for any geek. *Note: Prices reflect time of print. They are subject to change. PREVIOUS PAGE: GAMES BACK TO FIRST PAGE: PC HARDWARE

Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2013 - Games Posted: 11 Dec 2013 11:21 AM PST Jump To: PC Hardware Gadgets Toys Games Rockstar Games sure is taking its sweet little time porting Grand Theft Auto V over to the PC, but if history has taught us anything at all, it's that eventually GTA V will find its way home. In the meantime, there are plenty of other games worth gifting. If you're feeling particularly cheap, send your recipient the URL to download Dota 2 (it's free!). Otherwise, you can't go wrong with any games on this list. PREVIOUS PAGE: GADGETS NEXT PAGE: TOYS

Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2013 - Gadgets Posted: 11 Dec 2013 11:20 AM PST Jump To: PC Hardware Games Toys Gadgets Building a PC is the first (big) step towards becoming a true geek. What comes next? Rounding up essential gadgets, of course! You can think of gadgets as tools, and just as every carpenter should always have access to a razor sharp saw and sturdy hammer, a geek needs to surround himself with tools of a different kind, like capable earbuds and a reliable router. *Note: Prices reflect time of print. They are subject to change. PREVIOUS PAGE: PC HARDWARE NEXT PAGE: GAMES

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MMO Updates

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• Ship-spinning perfected: Hands-on with World of Warplanes' launch
• EVE Online's PLEX for GOOD drive raised over $190K to aid The Philippines
• Side-scrolling Blade Hunter starts alpha tomorrow
• EverQuest Next Landmark beta keys available in US PC Gamer
• The Elder Scrolls Online to launch April 4, 2014
• Dungeon Tours: Wish you were here!
• WildStar unveils its final class, the Engineer
• Dynasty Warriors Online shutting down in North America
• The Daily Grind: Do you play an off-beat MMO?
• The Stream Team: Cleaning up in EQII's Highkeep
• Jukebox Heroes: More of Guild Wars 2's soundtrack
• SOE patches Vanguard database fixes, eyes Cave of Wonders
• First impressions of Heroes of the Obelisk
• Destiny PvP 'certainly more lethal than Halo'
• Final Fantasy XI gets a nice juicy patch
• Test drive Neverwinter's Hunter Ranger with an interactive trailer
• Warhammer Online tribute video takes the bloody cake
• World of Warcraft in-game store goes live
• The Stream Team: Digging for gil in FFXIV's Copperbell Mines
• EverQuest Next to feature a moddable UI
• Hyperspace Beacon: Leveling to max in SWTOR in less than a day
• The Soapbox: World of Warcraft isn't back, and that's fine

Ship-spinning perfected: Hands-on with World of Warplanes' launch Posted: 11 Dec 2013 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Historical, Game Mechanics, Launches, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, Opinion, War, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, First Impressions, World of Warplanes On paper, World of Warplanes is a game I should love. I've been obsessed with World War II-era aviation since learning to walk, and Wargaming.net's free-to-play followup to World of Tanks oozes piston-powered familiarity like a radial engine oozes oil and sweet-smelling (per)fumes. Logging into a WoWP hangar is a nostalgic exercise in mid-20th century iconography, and for that reason alone it's hard to dislike it. I manage, though, because of the title's grindy progression and a design mandate that eschews traditional flight sim mechanics for arcade tropes aimed at gamers who wouldn't know an accelerated stall from a bathroom stall. Continue reading Ship-spinning perfected: Hands-on with World of Warplanes' launch Ship-spinning perfected: Hands-on with World of Warplanes' launch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Online's PLEX for GOOD drive raised over $190K to aid The Philippines Posted: 11 Dec 2013 08:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, EVE Online, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items, Sandbox EVE Online players aren't all about intrigues and blowing each other up in New Eden, they are about helping others in this world. The community banded together in the recent Plex for GOOD drive and raised $190,890, all of which goes to the Icelandic Red Cross to help The Philippines recover from Typhoon Haiyan. CCP's development staff offers a very heartfelt thanks to its players for their generosity. The drive, which included dozens of unique player-run efforts and culminated in a CCP telethon that lasted over eight hours, brought in 12,726 PLEX (equaling approximately 1060 years of playtime). The livestreamed telethon featured EVE Online devs who pledged things like head-shaving and sparring with a Tae Kwon Do champion when certain fundraising milestones were hit. Perhaps the most painful dev pledge was getting shot with one paintball for every $2,000 donated! Sprinkled throughout the telethon were other tidbits including a dev cooking competition, Q&A sessions, and more. You can watch the follow through with the paintball pledge below, and catch the telethon in its entirety on YouTube. [Source: CCP press release] Continue reading EVE Online's PLEX for GOOD drive raised over $190K to aid The Philippines EVE Online's PLEX for GOOD drive raised over $190K to aid The Philippines originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Side-scrolling Blade Hunter starts alpha tomorrow Posted: 11 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Trailers, Video, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser What do you do when you just have an urge to log in and beat something up? R2Games invites you to come try Blade Hunter, a new free-to-play fantasy side-scroller billed literally as "The beat 'em up MMORPG." This browser-based action title begins alpha on Thursday, December 12th at 10:00 a.m. EST, and interested players from all over the world can sign up on the official site to be a part of the testing. In Blade Hunter's alpha, players can be either a Knight, a Rogue, or a Valkyrie. The game can be enjoyed solo, thanks to independent companions that can be gathered and equipped, but greater strength is achieved when forming parties and guilds. Players can also unlock Bladesouls, which are spirits of war that can change the course of encounters by creating such things as time-limited multiplayer events and ranked cross-server PvP duels. Check out the action in the official trailer below. [Source: R2Games press release] Continue reading Side-scrolling Blade Hunter starts alpha tomorrow Side-scrolling Blade Hunter starts alpha tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EverQuest Next Landmark beta keys available in US PC Gamer Posted: 11 Dec 2013 07:30 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Giveaways, Promotions, EverQuest Next, Sandbox First, PC Gamer UK brought us the news of three new classes in EverQuest Next. Now the US version is keeping with the EQN theme by offering subscribers EQN Landmark closed beta keys. This gives players another option for gaining access to closed beta besides purchasing a Founders Pack or hoping for the best during a lottery selection. In the print version of the mag, you'll receive an exclusive, one-week access to the sandbox when it hits beta. Along with the keys, the magazine offers impressions on the gameplay, and you can also read Massively's own hands-on experience in Landmark. [Editor Note: Fixed to clarify that these keys are for the print version of the magazine only.] EverQuest Next Landmark beta keys available in US PC Gamer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments PC Gamer offers beta keys

The Elder Scrolls Online to launch April 4, 2014 Posted: 11 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Launches, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, The Elder Scrolls Online Bethesda and ZeniMax Online Studios have announced today that The Elder Scrolls Online is set for worldwide launch on April 4, 2014 for both PC and Mac, while a June 2014 date is set for the Playstation 4 and Xbox One release. In addition to this news, the developers have released a new announcement trailer, entitled War in Cyrodiil, that spotlights the fantasy MMO's massive PvP system that allows hundreds of players to fight together on the same battlefield. The video shows off in-game footage of a castle siege from multiple perspectives, as well as what could potentially be some interesting combat skills and weapons. You'll find the video just after the cut below, as well as more information on the game's official site. [Source: Bethesda press release] Continue reading The Elder Scrolls Online to launch April 4, 2014 The Elder Scrolls Online to launch April 4, 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dungeon Tours: Wish you were here! Posted: 11 Dec 2013 06:30 AM PST Filed under: Massively Meta, Livestream, Miscellaneous, Dungeons, Dungeon Tours Synergy? We've got synergy! Welcome to the unveiling of Dungeon Tours, a new multimedia miniseries playing out on both the Massively blog and Massively TV. What is Dungeon Tours, you ask? It's a tour. Of a dungeon. Many tours, in fact, of many dungeons. We're sneaky like that. But there's a method behind this particular madness. Have you ever wanted to see and experience every dungeon and instance in a game? Maybe you're interested in getting a sneak peek at what content is in store for you as you advance in a title you already enjoy, or maybe you want to see what you have missed. It could be that you'd like to get a feel for a game before jumping in yourself. And whether or not you ever have any intention of ever playing a game yourself, you're probably curious about what goes on behind those closed doors! This miniseries is your key to those doors. Continue reading Dungeon Tours: Wish you were here! Dungeon Tours: Wish you were here! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

WildStar unveils its final class, the Engineer Posted: 11 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Classes, Game Mechanics, Previews, News Items, WildStar, Subscription, Buy-to-Play If you're headed to a distant planet of untold dangers, you'll want to be protected. You'll want to bring along plenty of armor, you'll want ranged weapons, and you'll want some nice bulky robots to keep you safe in the most dire of circumstances. In short, you will want everything that the Engineer brings to WildStar. It's a pet class, a ranged tank, a sniper, and a whole barrel of explosive mechanical fun all in one package. Engineers have access to a stable of reliable bots to perform several functions, ranging from dealing damage to tanking to providing quick heals. The class also features a variety of ranged attacks, heavy armor, and a special exo-suit that allows them to bulk up and smash everything in range. Take a look at the latest edition of DevSpeak just past the cut to see the class in action, and check out the official site for a brand new installment of the Tales from Beyond the Fringe comic. [Source: Carbine Studios press release] Continue reading WildStar unveils its final class, the Engineer WildStar unveils its final class, the Engineer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dynasty Warriors Online shutting down in North America Posted: 11 Dec 2013 05:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Free-to-Play, Sunsets Aeria Games is not having a good month, apparently. Shortly after the company announced the closure of Lime Odyssey in Korea, it broke the news to the Dynasty Warriors community that the North American servers will be shut down on January 10th, 2014. The company posted its reasons and condolences on the Dynasty Warrior forums: "We know and understand this is both sad and frustrating. The closure of a game is always hardest for us at Aeria as we recognize the community's dedication towards the game but regrettably games can't last forever." Aeria will be giving out 100% rebates to any AP purchased by players from now until the game's sunset. The company also promised that it's working on special events for the title's final days. [Thanks to Mehighlow for the tip!] Dynasty Warriors Online shutting down in North America originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Closure announcement

The Daily Grind: Do you play an off-beat MMO? Posted: 11 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Every time we cover what I consider a "smaller" MMO here on Massively, a voice always sounds off in the back of my head: "Who plays this?" Someone has to, right? It's not that I consider that games like Eden Eternal or Puzzle Pirates are the scum of the games industry. Sure, there's quite a few duds in the pack, but there are also a couple of lackluster titles that have gained a lot of popularity for some unexplained reason. It's just that I hardly ever encounter anyone who plays these games, Beau aside. So sound off today: Do you play an off-beat MMO? Do you eschew the mainstream games to engage with something on the fringe? If so, what are you enjoying? 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 play an off-beat MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Cleaning up in EQII's Highkeep Posted: 10 Dec 2013 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest II, Free-to-Play, Massively Meta, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team Those crazed goblins have left EverQuest II's Highkeep an absolute mess! In fact, the place is in such shambles that Massively's MJ couldn't make a clean sweep of the whole place during her last visit. Add to that the constant disruption of those troublesome goblins and you can see why this spring cleaning wasn't getting anywhere. But not one to give up, MJ is heading back in to complete the task. And this time, she has to find a way to turn a giant pig into bacon. Trust us -- that's much easier said than done! Join us live at 9:00 p.m. EST to cheer her on in her latest dungeon cleaning spree. Game: EverQuest II Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Tuesday, December 10th, 2013 Time: 9:00 p.m. EST Continue reading The Stream Team: Cleaning up in EQII's Highkeep The Stream Team: Cleaning up in EQII's Highkeep originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Jukebox Heroes: More of Guild Wars 2's soundtrack Posted: 10 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Jukebox Heroes, Music, Buy-to-Play It's been well over a year since I last touched on Guild Wars 2's OST, Super Adventure Box aside. Wow, has it really been that long? Sometimes it seems as if it just came out! At this point in the game's lifespan, there are two categories of music that you'll find: the Jeremy Soule original soundtrack and the in-house pieces done by Maclaine Diemer and Leif Chappelle. I'm going to wrap up my favorite Soule selections in this column and leave the latter category for a later column. Let's get down to making out with our ears, shall we? Here are six more great Guild Wars 2 tracks that are among my personal favorites. Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: More of Guild Wars 2's soundtrack Jukebox Heroes: More of Guild Wars 2's soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

SOE patches Vanguard database fixes, eyes Cave of Wonders Posted: 10 Dec 2013 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, Patches, News Items, Vanguard, Free-to-Play SOE has patched the latest version of Vanguard to the live server. Today's downtime was used to implement the database performance improvements that showed up on the game's test server a while back. SOE says that after it's satisfied with server performance, it will be looking to "patch out the first wing of the Cave of Wonders," hopefully in time for the Christmas holidays! [Thanks Mikegonz!] SOE patches Vanguard database fixes, eyes Cave of Wonders originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Announcement

First impressions of Heroes of the Obelisk Posted: 10 Dec 2013 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Screenshots, Classes, Game Mechanics, New Titles, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Casual, First Impressions Heroes of the Obelisk might look familiar, probably because its developers are the same folks who brought us Luna Online and Legend of Edda. I really enjoy its art style, one that puts us in control of Chibi-style, juvenile characters. The backgrounds are pretty, and there are some nice modern bells and whistles like distance blur and glow effects. As is normally the case with an Anime-based game that comes to us from the East, the game looks like a carbon copy of other titles, at least at first glance. The details make all of the difference, however, and there are a few things in this title that manage to just barely keep it out of "clone" territory. I do take issue with the fact that the developers refer to it as a hack-and-slash title, though. Heroes of the Obelisk is not what you think of when you think of action combat. Games like Vindictus, Neverwinter, and Dungeons and Dragons Online are action-based gaming. Heroes of the Obelisk is standard, class-based, hotbar-mashing combat. Continue reading First impressions of Heroes of the Obelisk First impressions of Heroes of the Obelisk originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Destiny PvP 'certainly more lethal than Halo' Posted: 10 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, Destiny Game Informer has another look at Bungie's upcoming Destiny shooter, this time with a focus on PvP. Multiplayer lead Lars Bakken spends a little over eight minutes answering questions about Destiny's match speed and combat feel ("it's certainly more lethal than Halo") as well as multiplayer balancing issues. "I would never rule out [nerfs]," Bakken explains, "however we have systems in place so theoretically, if something is really good at one point, it could grow to become less good over time." Destiny PvP 'certainly more lethal than Halo' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Game Informer

Final Fantasy XI gets a nice juicy patch Posted: 10 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Patches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Subscription, MMORPG Square Enix is pushing live a hefty patch for Final Fantasy XI. The patch, which lands December 11th JST (Japan Standard Time), includes the Records of Eminence system, the addition of new playable monster families and subfamilies, and the implementation of high-tier mission battlefields. Also in the patch: new home points in a variety of locations; a host of modifications to the Summoner, Dragoon, and Beastmaster jobs; new synthesis recipes and items; and a movement speed increase for pets, playable characters, and enemies. Check out the full patch notes for details; there are a lot of changes on deck. Final Fantasy XI gets a nice juicy patch originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Patch Notes

Test drive Neverwinter's Hunter Ranger with an interactive trailer Posted: 10 Dec 2013 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Classes, Expansions, Patches, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Neverwinter, MMORPG Neverwinter's Shadowmantle expansion is currently live, and with its release comes (among other things) the addition of the game's newest class. The Hunter Ranger is a ranged/melee damage dealer capable of shifting attack abilities on the fly depending on how close the player feels like getting to the target. For those of you who haven't yet had a chance to create a Hunter Ranger or are curious about what playing as one might be like, Perfect World has released an interactive trailer designed to walk you through the basics. In the trailer you are able to select certain Hunter Ranger spells to see how they play out in the game world. Check out the trailer after the break. [Source: Perfect World press release] Continue reading Test drive Neverwinter's Hunter Ranger with an interactive trailer Test drive Neverwinter's Hunter Ranger with an interactive trailer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Warhammer Online tribute video takes the bloody cake Posted: 10 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Culture, Warhammer Online, Subscription, Sunsets Short of digging up old login details and re-downloading the client, the best way for Warhammer Online veterans to pay tribute to their old (or current) MMO home might be to watch this excellent fan-made video. Clocking in at around 25 minutes, the video takes us on a tour of WAR's world, lore, and landmarks, all with heaps of in-game action to preserve the memories as they were. This video's been getting noticed by all categories of Warhammer Online players, so we figured we should share it to you as the clock ticks down to the final minutes of the game's life on December 18th. You can view it after the break. [Thanks to Li for the tip!] Continue reading Warhammer Online tribute video takes the bloody cake Warhammer Online tribute video takes the bloody cake originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments YouTube

World of Warcraft in-game store goes live Posted: 10 Dec 2013 12:30 PM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Economy, Promotions, Subscription World of Warcraft has made it even easier to part with your money, as Blizzard has launched an in-game store for the popular MMO. The Battle.net Shop (as it's being called) is primarily focused on selling mounts and pets. The store can be accessed via either browser or an in-game interface, and it ships items directly into your characters' inventories. Purchases can also be gifted to other players. To celebrate the shop's launch, Blizzard is selling eight pets and five mounts for half-off the full price through January 1st, 2014. World of Warcraft in-game store goes live originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Half-off sale, In-game store is liveWoW Insider

The Stream Team: Digging for gil in FFXIV's Copperbell Mines Posted: 10 Dec 2013 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, Massively Meta, Final Fantasy XIV, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team Coblyns, dust, and treasure await in Final Fantasy XIV's third dungeon, Copperbell Mines. No stone will be left unturned, no boss left alive, and no loot left unclaimed! Join Massively's Jasmine live at 3:00 p.m EST for a full dungeon run. Game: Final Fantasy XIV Host: Jasmine Hruschak Date: Tuesday, December 10th, 2013 Time: 3:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below and highlights of each boss in the dungeon! Continue reading The Stream Team: Digging for gil in FFXIV's Copperbell Mines The Stream Team: Digging for gil in FFXIV's Copperbell Mines originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EverQuest Next to feature a moddable UI Posted: 10 Dec 2013 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, News Items, EverQuest Next, Sandbox, Player-Generated Content We're going to go ahead and just spoil the outcome of the most recent EverQuest Next roundtable discussion because Lead UI Designer Jake Sones answers the central question within seconds of the video's start. Yes, EverQuest Next will have a modifiable UI, and while EverQuest Next Landmark won't have the option at launch, it will be built to allow it in the future. Senior Brand Manager Omeed Dariani still has more questions to ask Mr. Sones over the video's full running time, but they're about not the if but the how. Sones explains that the team is hoping to build the best possible UI for the game right out of the box, but everyone's idea of what is best will be different. So in addition to building a solid core UI, the developers need to leave space for players to modify the interface according to their needs. Take a look at the full video past the cut for more views on the overall process of making a modifiable interface at launch. Continue reading EverQuest Next to feature a moddable UI EverQuest Next to feature a moddable UI originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments YouTube

Hyperspace Beacon: Leveling to max in SWTOR in less than a day Posted: 10 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guides, Hyperspace Beacon, MMORPG Periodically, the producers at BioWare will throw players a gift of double XP for a weekend in Star Wars: The Old Republic, or in the case of last July, three weekends. Over the American Thanksgiving holiday, SWTOR did it again, and I decided that I was going to take full advantage of it. Laura Williams, Lee Snyder, and I leveled five characters to level 50 in about 18 hours over that weekend, and today, I'm going to tell you how we did it. Laura mentioned reading a post on the official forums about two guys who leveled their characters over the July double-XP weekend in 23 hours of gameplay. Being the competitive player that she is, Laura had to beat that record. When I heard this, I knew I had to jump on board. There were some Republic classes that I had not played through yet, and I needed my fourth class buff. When I agreed to run with her over Thanksgiving, Lee joined in, too. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Leveling to max in SWTOR in less than a day Hyperspace Beacon: Leveling to max in SWTOR in less than a day originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Soapbox: World of Warcraft isn't back, and that's fine Posted: 10 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Soapbox, Subscription So. That Warlords of Draenor, huh? To take the narrative that a lot of people have constructed, World of Warcraft has been sort of floundering for the past few years. It released one expansion (Cataclysm) that consistently ranks as the worst expansion in the game's history, coming behind the launch game, The Burning Crusade, and Alganon. Then it released another one that turned out to actually be pretty good but with a premise that turned a lot of people off right out of the gate. Mists of Pandaria's quality doesn't matter in the face of the game losing five million subscriptions in three years. But then, Warlords of Draenor was announced, and suddenly hope returned to the faithful. There's this thought that the game has suddenly returned from the brink, that Blizzard hit the big red button labeled "Save World of Warcraft" and the game will be catapulted back into prominence once again. Except that I think that portion of the story isn't just premature -- it's making a stab in the dark about a game that isn't back and can't, in fact, be back. Continue reading The Soapbox: World of Warcraft isn't back, and that's fine The Soapbox: World of Warcraft isn't back, and that's fine originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Dec 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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