General Gaming Article

Twitter's "Nearby" Service In Testing with Selected Accounts

Posted: 14 Dec 2013 04:11 PM PST

See what others around you are tweeting with Nearby

If you interact with a lot of close friends on Twitter, you might start noticing some friends are closer to you than you think. The social network is, via TechCrunch, testing out a brand new service called Nearby, which would roll out tweets by users in the same area, whether you follow them or not.

It's experimental thus far because, as you can imagine, many users either don't want to use their location attached to their tweets or they don't want to be bothered with who's tweeting what just because they happen to be in a geographically similar location. Only some users have access to the tool at present, though it's interesting to note that it has been available to Twitter users surfing on third-party apps for some time now. Twitter's implementation will almost certainly add another dimension of personalization, but it's nothing definite as of yet.

Would Nearby benefit you in ways that you'd want to sacrifice "true" location-based privacy for?

Maximum PC Dream Machine Chassis/GTX 780 Ti Giveaway

Posted: 14 Dec 2013 11:26 AM PST

Win some holiday loot care of Maximum PC

The holidays are just around the corner, and you're hoping to give (or receive) some awesome tech, right? We've got a giveaway that just might make things easier for you on the gift-giving side. Or maybe you wanna win these babies for yourself. We've got our 2013 Dream Machine chassis and a Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 Ti video card up for grabs, and we want to give it to one of you!

Yes, one winner will make off with this awesome prize package with a combined retail value of $1,099. If you're still unconvinced, check out what we had to say about the Dream Machine and the GTX card so you can see what you're getting into. That's one heck of a stocking stuffer, right? If you want to win, head on over to the official contest page to enter with your full name, email, and zip code starting today at 9 AM PST and ending at 9 AM PST, December 18th. What do you have to lose? Go forth and win some hardware!

MMO Updates

The Road to Mordor: Still waiting for (better) housing in LotRO
WRUP: Happy happy happy happy edition
The Daily Grind: What will make you log on to a game every day?
The Stream Team: Celebrate Friday the 13th in The Secret World
Betawatch: December 7 - 13, 2013
Storyboard: Don't fight with /random
MMObility: Legacy of a Thousand Suns goes mobile
Anarchy Online rolls out in-game holiday events and deals
PlanetSide 2 offers massive deals for the holidays
Neverwinter's Winter Festival is on deck for December 19th
Project Copernicus remains unsold at auction
Second Wind Roundtable: The final days of Warhammer Online

The Road to Mordor: Still waiting for (better) housing in LotRO

Posted: 14 Dec 2013 09:00 AM PST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Opinion, Free-to-Play, The Road to Mordor, Housing

In all of the excitement of Helm's Deep and the changes that it brought, it was pretty easy to forget that we are running out the clock on 2013 and the devs have yet to do anything about housing other than evict a lot of bums and fiddle with the chests. Remember that promise? One of Executive Producer Kate Paiz's four big initiatives for the year? Let me refresh your memory, as Paiz said in January 2013: "I am extremely pleased to say that this year we will be tackling a major revision to the Housing system."

Well, bad news folks: It's not coming this year. I pinged Turbine for a comment about this, and Producer Hannah Foell responded by saying, "After some excellent feedback from the Player's Council we elected to spend more time on it and push the housing update back to next year."

This is disappointing though not surprising. I've had the feeling that Turbine's been "behind" with Lord of the Rings Online this year, especially considering the expansion testing and release, and the studio's been visibly reluctant to get moving on a housing revamp, going so far as to downplay expectations by the community. So if we're not getting any improvements to housing in 2013, then I have time to ponder what this system needs. And since I'm not on this super-secretive and super-mysterious player council, you can hear what my thoughts are right now.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Still waiting for (better) housing in LotRO

The Road to Mordor: Still waiting for (better) housing in LotRO originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Dec 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WRUP: Happy happy happy happy edition

Posted: 14 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST

Filed under: Massively Meta, Miscellaneous

Happy happy happy happy happy happy happy. Happy happy happy happy, happy happy happy happy; happy happy happy happy happy. Happy? Happy happy, happy happy happy, happy happy happy. Happy happy happy happy! Happy happy, happy happy happy happy, happy happy happy happy happy... happy happy happy. Happy happy happy happy happy, happy happy happy happy happy.

Happy happy happy happy happy, happy happy happy happy happy happy happy happy happy. Happy happy happy happy happy, happy happy? Happy happy happy, happy happy happy happy. Happy happy happy happy happy happy happy. Happy happy happy, happy happy happy happy happy happy! (Happy happy happy happy; happy happy happy happy happy happy happy.) Happy happy happy happy.

WRUP. Comments. Happy.

Continue reading WRUP: Happy happy happy happy edition

WRUP: Happy happy happy happy edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Dec 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What will make you log on to a game every day?

Posted: 14 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

I'm logging in to Final Fantasy XIV on a daily basis, but it's not for my weekly tomestone progress. I'll be back to that again as soon as the next big patch drops, but I'm not motivated to keep logging in for that. What does keep me logging in is farming items for selling, through botany and other means, as well as checking in on various roleplaying people. I might not be interested in tanking another Wanderer's Palace run, but I'm still on every day.

When there's plenty of stuff that's new in a game, it's easy to keep logging in every day. But for a long-term game you usually have other things that keep you clocking in, even if the core game isn't quite as big a focal point for you. So what will make you log on to a game every day? Is it something you only do during the initial rush? Is it a matter of having good friends? Or is there some in-game activity that needs to be done daily which you will happily do?

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

The Daily Grind: What will make you log on to a game every day? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Dec 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Stream Team: Celebrate Friday the 13th in The Secret World

Posted: 13 Dec 2013 06:00 PM PST

Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Video, Massively Meta, The Secret World, Livestream, The Stream Team, Buy-to-Play

Friday the 13th -- it just doesn't come around often enough for Massively's MJ. And now that one is finally here, she's got the perfect way to celebrate it: in The Secret World! It doesn't matter what she actually does once there, but there's just no better way to spend the creepiest of days than in the best horror MMO around. Could there be a surprise event for the day? One can hope! But if not, MJ still has a dark and gloomy warehouse to creep through while investigating the next step of her story mission. She's bound to cross the path of a black cat or break a mirror or something, so join us live at 9:00 p.m. for the ultimate in Friday the 13th gaming.

Game: The Secret World
Host: MJ Guthrie
Date: Friday, December 13th, 2013
Time: 9:00 p.m. EST

Enjoy our Steam Team video below.

Continue reading The Stream Team: Celebrate Friday the 13th in The Secret World

The Stream Team: Celebrate Friday the 13th in The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Dec 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Betawatch: December 7 - 13, 2013

Posted: 13 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST

Filed under: Betas, MMO Industry, News Items, Betawatch, Miscellaneous

It's archaic, yes, but there have been worse approaches to saving the print industry.

If you really want to get into the EverQuest Next Landmark beta, the good news is that there's a more or less foolproof way to do so. The bad news is that you're going to have to buy a magazine first, as US editions of PC gamer contain a code this month. And yes, that's just the print edition. I know; you haven't actually bought a magazine in years. It's all right. It's a means to an end.

Meanwhile, Diablo III's Reaper of Souls expansion has officially entered closed beta, Shroud of the Avatar opened up its first playtest for backers, Aura Kingdom showed off more of its endgame, Inferno Legend started closed beta, and Blade Hunter kicked off its own testing cycle. The beta testing for World of Tanks on the Xbox 360 is also now open to everyone, if you really can't get enough console-based tank shooting. Not to mention the full list of games in some form of testing past the break. Let us know down in the comments if something has installed a cash shop or changed testing phases without our noticing.

Continue reading Betawatch: December 7 - 13, 2013

Betawatch: December 7 - 13, 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Dec 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Storyboard: Don't fight with /random

Posted: 13 Dec 2013 03:00 PM PST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous

There is a subtle message here, except it is not subtle.

Most of my Storyboard columns center on larger issues, providing advice in some way. This one does not. This one is purely about one of the elements of roleplaying in MMOs that I particularly dislike: using in-game random rolls to determine the outcome of actions during tense scenes (or out-of-game rolls in games that don't support /random or /roll or something similar).

This is a time-honored practice in MMOs, but I've never had many nice things to say about it, to the point that I wrote an entire column about dueling without even discussing it. In practice, it makes sense, casting otherwise unresolvable situations back to the realm of tabletop gaming. What's not to like?

Lots of things. Resolving conflicts with random dice rolls is unsatisfying and to be avoided at all costs. And if you want to compare it to tabletop gaming, you're making a lot of logical leaps that don't hold up under scrutiny.

Continue reading Storyboard: Don't fight with /random

Storyboard: Don't fight with /random originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Dec 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: Legacy of a Thousand Suns goes mobile

Posted: 13 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST

Filed under: Business Models, Game Mechanics, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile, Hands-On, Casual, First Impressions, Miscellaneous, MMObility

Legacy of a Thousand Suns by developer 5th Planet Games is a relatively simple game that is very similar to Dawn of the Dragons, its sister title. I found Dawn of the Dragons to be strangely appealing even though it's not much more than an interactive story with very basic combat. It helped that I was given a massive pile of in-game currency and so was able to play at a non-stop rate, but even a small investment into either title buys a pretty good chunk of in-game cash and energy to spend on actions.

Legacy of a Thousand Suns is essentially a sci-fi themed Dawn of the Dragons. Gameplay is so similar that a player could jump between the two instantly and a new player could be gaining levels literally within minutes. I'm not sure how to describe the appeal of a game that consists mainly of pressing a button several times, taking a break, and coming back after the energy pool fills back up to do it again.

Let me attempt to describe its appeal anyway and to figure out whether the mobile version is really a good thing or not.

Continue reading MMObility: Legacy of a Thousand Suns goes mobile

MMObility: Legacy of a Thousand Suns goes mobile originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Dec 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anarchy Online rolls out in-game holiday events and deals

Posted: 13 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Anarchy Online, Events (In-Game), News Items, Free-to-Play, Promotions, Subscription

Maybe a long coat would have been more sensible.

The holiday season is well and truly upon us now, and that means celebrations in your games as well as the real world. Anarchy Online is kicking off a multi-tiered event that features as many leets as players can cope with, starting with the arrival of Santaleet and his missions to aid his armies of Elfleets against the evil Grin'Cha. Rewards include a number of previous holiday event rewards, which adds extra incentive for players to take part in the Elfleet rescue.

There's also a new tree-themed dress, a free Gift-wrapped leet morph for everyone, a Gingerleet pet for members, and yes, even promotions for people getting into the game. Until January 2nd, purchasing six months of membership will reward you with an extra two months, while 12-month purchases award an additional four months. Both deals include experience boosts, and 12-month packages even throw in a special helping of Victory Points. If you're going to be running around saving leets anyway, it's a nice extra present to leave under your own tree.

Anarchy Online rolls out in-game holiday events and deals originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Dec 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Winter Celebrations!

PlanetSide 2 offers massive deals for the holidays

Posted: 13 Dec 2013 12:00 PM PST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Promotions, PlanetSide 2

Nothing says happy holidays in PlanetSide 2 like a brand-new gun to blow the opposing factions to smithereens! And thanks to two weeks of deals, you might just be able to pick up something special to share your holiday spirit. From December 18th, 2013, through January 1st, 2014, PS2 will have a daily sale that includes 50% off an entire category (such as Helmets or Rifles) as well as a special Item of the Day that members can buy for only 1 SC. Players who aren't subbed can also take advantage of the deal of the day, but their cost will be 99 SC. Want to see what each day's deal is? Log in and check it out!

PlanetSide 2 offers massive deals for the holidays originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Dec 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PlantSide 2 daily deals

Neverwinter's Winter Festival is on deck for December 19th

Posted: 13 Dec 2013 11:30 AM PST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events (In-Game), Free-to-Play, Neverwinter

Neverwinter is preparing its first Winter Festival for the game, beginning on December 19th and continuing until January 9th.

The festivities will commence at the village of Twilight Tor, where players can engage in several activities for the fun of it -- and, oh yeah, to get some cool presents. Twilight Tor will feature slalom races, fights against monsters on a frozen lake, ice fishing, star gazing, and a new profession called Lightcrafting. Players can take currency from these activities and purchase one of several rewards, including a sled mount, a Frost Mimic companion, a Fawn of Shialla companion, and winter-themed weapons.

Neverwinter's Winter Festival is on deck for December 19th originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Dec 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Winter Festival

Project Copernicus remains unsold at auction

Posted: 13 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST

Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items, Legal, Miscellaneous

We've passed death and entered well into the realm of zombification.

Every game has its fans. Project Copernicus never launched and was never really much more than a twinkle in the eye, and yet someone out there really liked the game. Someone out there really loved Kingdoms of Amalur and was really hopeful that the 38 Studios property auction would give Project Copernicus a new home. Someone was still excited despite everything that's happened since the game was first announced. Let's call her Kate.

Today's news is going to hit Kate really hard; the auction came and went, and no one was interested enough in Project Copernicus to make an "acceptable" offer. Richard Land, who handled the asset auction, has stated that he will continue to try to work privately with interested buyers regarding the assets that were not purchased, but it's not a good sign that none of the potential buyers wanted to pick up the title. Sorry, Kate. Gross proceeds from the auction came to $320,000, for the record.

Project Copernicus remains unsold at auction originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VG24/7

Second Wind Roundtable: The final days of Warhammer Online

Posted: 13 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST

Filed under: Fantasy, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Humor, Second Wind, Sunsets

I know it's been a while, but the Second Wind Roundtable is back for a special occasion: the shutdown of Warhammer Online. As you may know, Mythic's long-floundering RvR title is officially shutting down on December 18th, taking with it the war between Order and Chaos that's been waging since 2008.

I was never a die-hard WAR player, but I did have an account still in good standing, and the game was made free for all former subscribers, so I figured that I'd jump in for a last hoorah despite the icky taste it left in my mouth the last time I played. I wasn't about to do this alone, though, so I pulled my now-ex-friend Eliot Lefebvre along for the ride. A post on the official site promised new NPCs to power up our characters and "other unique experiences," so I expected a big end-of-the-world bash as former players returned and boosted to max level for one final brawl. What we got was... well, just read on past the cut. I need a drink.

Continue reading Second Wind Roundtable: The final days of Warhammer Online

Second Wind Roundtable: The final days of Warhammer Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Dec 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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