General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Silverstone Tundra TD03 Review

Posted: 30 Jan 2014 11:56 AM PST

A promising first step

Ever since closed-loop liquid coolers (CLCs) arrived on the scene, hardware manufacturers have been scrambling to get a slice of the pie. On paper, CLCs can achieve better performance than even the most expensive air coolers, and more quietly. Because PC technology is always evolving, it's rare to see a genuinely new and interesting war front appear—if you're not participating in it, you might get left behind. Silverstone has stepped into the game with its Tundra series of CLCs. Last month, we reviewed its 240mm TD02, and now it's time for the Silverstone Tundra TD03, which is the 120mm version.

The fan cables are short, but the bundled Y adapter gives them plenty  of total length.

The fan cables are short, but the bundled Y adapter gives them plenty of total length.

At a glance, the TD03 is similar to the Corsair H80i. The 120mm radiator is paired with two 120mm fans that install in a push-pull orientation, where one fan pushes air into the rad on one side, and the other fan pulls it out. You can reverse the direction, but the temperature difference is usually negligible.

The TD03 has a very different look, however. Its tubes are enclosed in white corrugated plastic, the rad's housing is white, and the water block installed on top of the CPU is housed in brushed aluminum. If we were scoring purely on aesthetics, the Tundra cooler would walk away with a gold medal.

The rad is also nearly twice as thick as usual (with about twice the fin density, as well); combined with the two fans, you need a whopping 3.75 inches of clearance. Unless you have a cavernous super-tower (our test case is a Corsair 900D), the TD03 is not fitting in the top of your case. It will go in the rear, but high-profile RAM on an LGA2011 motherboard may obstruct it. You may have a 120mm fan mount in the bottom of your case, but a radiator's reservoirs need an inch or two of extra space on each side, so it's not guaranteed to work. And the tubes might not reach.

On the bright side, installation for Intel CPUs is made easier with two pre-installed aluminum brackets, and a generally minimized number of widgets. The LGA2011 socket needs only four easily distinguishable bolts, and a set of four screws with springs on them. And the Intel bracket is attached with four screws, so it's an easy swap to AMD. Since aluminum dissipates heat better than the standard plastic housing and is more impact-resistant, it's a good choice for protecting a copper block, albeit a relatively expensive one. That and the extra materials in the jumbo-size radiator put the TD03 in a different price range than a standard 120mm CLC.

So, the 64-gigabyte question is, does the TD03 have the performance to justify its premium design? Not as much as we'd like, unfortunately. We tried both airflow directions, different amounts of thermal paste, and even laying the case on its side. But in the end, the TD03 came in a half-step behind the competition in its price range. At around $100 on the street, it's up against the likes of the Corsair H100i and the NZXT Kraken X60, which consistently outperform it, if slightly. Are the TD03's fins too densely packed for its fans? Are the liquid tubes too narrow? We'll leave it to the science wizards to figure that out. But until then, we can't quite recommend this cooler over others in its class.

$100, www.silverstonetek.com

Phanteks Enthoo Primo Review

Posted: 30 Jan 2014 11:36 AM PST

Phanteks Enthoo Primo Review: A big, monster case with a few little quirks

We appreciate it when a case manufacturer dares to go above and beyond the standard construction techniques we see time and time again. Enter the Phanteks Enthoo Primo case—a chassis that sounds more like a sneeze than a container for your expensive hardware, but one that comes with a few tricks hidden within its jet-black frame. However, a few peculiar quirks make us hesitant to give this $250 chassis a full-on recommendation.

Give up your gym membership; lifting this case up and down is all the workout you'll  ever need.

Give up your gym membership; lifting this case up and down is all the workout you'll ever need.

To begin with, we were annoyed with the Primo's packaging. Not that the box it arrived in didn't adequately protect the near-40-pound steel chassis with the help of a ton of foam, but rather that Phanteks covered the case with protective wrap that was stickier and gooier and more difficult to take off than what we're used to dealing with. And there's quite a lot of it, too.

Moving on to the case itself, the Primo's five 5.25-inch bays are screwless and easy to access by popping off the grilled covers on its front. We just wish we could switch the case's front-panel door from swinging open right-to-left to left-to-right—like on a refrigerator. The Primo's six drive bays all use easy-to-install trays to hold your storage in place, and the case itself comes with two areas on the rear of the motherboard tray where you can double-stack SSDs (so, four total).

Slapping an ATX, eATX, or mATX motherboard into this case is pretty easy, given its pre-installed standoffs. Swapping an aftermarket cooler into a build is similarly simple, thanks to the huge, cut-out hole on the upper half of the motherboard tray.

Installing a standard video card into the Primo is a bit trickier since a large reservoir bracket covers the right half of the motherboard area. We didn't have any room whatsoever to slap a 10.5-inch GTX 480 in the case as-is; we had to first remove the bracket's cover and, even then, it was an extremely tight fit. Video cards measuring 11 inches or more need not apply. Yes, you can remove the bracket entirely, but it's just one more somewhat annoying step in the installation process.

Phanteks goes to great lengths to help you conceal cables, but its water-cooling apparatuses get in the way a bit.

Phanteks goes to great lengths to help you conceal cables, but its water-cooling apparatuses get in the way a bit.

The reservoir bracket, when in place, severely hampers one's ability to effectively manage cables within the case. But even with a standard ATX motherboard installed, two of the case's seven rubberized cable mounting holes on the tray itself are ever-so-slightly covered up; it's not a deal-breaker, but mildly annoying given the sheer size of the full-tower chassis.

The case's connectivity is pretty standard: two USB 2.0 ports and two USB 3.0 ports on top. The connectors themselves are covered by lovely rubber tabs, but these tabs aren't themselves attached to the case in any fashion—making them neat to look at but super easy to lose. An additional button controls the case's lovely lighting, a thin blue strip that runs over the front-right side and up onto the case's top.

What we'd love to see on this case is a fan controller. A built-in circuit board allows you to connect up to 11 different fans to a single, 4-pin connector—presumably, you'd be able to control everything via your motherboard. We think a dial, switch, or some other means of changing up your fan speeds on-the-fly would be a lot easier.

The Primo is an odd hybrid. It comes with plenty of cooling, support for plenty of devices (including two PSUs, if you dare), and offers a lot on the liquid-cooling front. However, its ease-of-use is countered by a few nagging features that, for a case this costly, should have been eliminated at the drawing board. For this much scratch, you could almost snag a 10/Kick Ass–winning Corsair Obsidian 800D.

$250, www.phanteks.com

Ericsson Chief Hans Vestberg Wants to Stay Put as Microsoft Continues CEO Search

Posted: 30 Jan 2014 11:23 AM PST

Hans VestbergMicrosoft still mum on who will replace Steve Ballmer

Steve Ballmer's farewell tour as CEO of Microsoft will come to an end once the Redmond software giant names a replacement, though who will take the reins is still a mystery. Ford chief Alan Mulally was a name that kept coming up, right up until he broke his silence and said he planned to finish out his contract with Ford, which expires at the end of 2014. Now it seems that Ericsson boss Hans Vestberg has also taken himself out of the running.

"I am committed to Ericcson," Vestberg said in an interview today, according to Bloomberg. "I plan to stay here if the board supports me as well as the employees and customers."

Some analysts viewed Vestberg as a leading candidate once Mulally withdrew from the race, but if he does stay with Ericcson, Microsoft will have to look elsewhere.

Recode's Kara Swisher says she's heard from "sources close to Microsoft" that the selection of a new CEO could happen next week. If that's the case, one of the odds on favorite is Microsoft's own Satya Nadella, who leads the company's enterprise division.

Nadella has been with Microsoft since 1992, and prior to that, he worked for Sun Microsystems. He's certainly familiar with Microsoft's operations and boasts a strong resume, though neither of those traits make him a lock.

(Photo credit: Andia Ghafouri)

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Nook to Android Cards Now Support KitKat

Posted: 30 Jan 2014 10:37 AM PST

N2A KitKatTurn your Nook into an Android 4.4 Kit Kat tablet

There's nothing wrong with owning a Nook, though if you've outgrown the custom OS and want to transform it into a standard Android tablet, you have options, one of them being a Nook-to-Android (N2A) card. Even better, the N2A team just updated its software to Android 4.4 KitKat, which is the latest version of Google's open source mobile operating system currently available.

N2A works with the Nook Color, Nook Tablet, Nook HD, and Nook HD+. Pricing runs $30 for an 8GB N2A SD card (2GB app space, 4GB storage space), $40 for a 16GB card (5GB app space, 9GB storage space), and $50 for a 32GB card (5GB app space, 25GB storage space).

Alternately you can use your own SD card (must be SanDisk Class 4) and download the software for $20. Once you have a properly formatted card, simply pop it into your Nook device and boot into a stock Android KitKat environment.

If you already own an N2A card, you can snag the KitKat update by navigating to the App Corner app preinstalled on your card. Once there, tap the KitKat Upgrade logo and select the image of the Nook. The upgrade app will automatically start downloading to your device.

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Fashionably Late: Roccat Kave XTD 5.1 Digital Gaming Headset Now Available

Posted: 30 Jan 2014 09:27 AM PST

Roccat Kave XTD 5.1 Digital Gaming HeadsetA headset with its own soundcard

We first learned about Roccat's Kave XTD 5.1 Digital Gaming Headset back in August of last year. At the time, Roccat said it hoped to ship the peripheral in November for $170 MSRP. Roccat got the price right, but not the release date, as November came and went without any sign of the Kave XTD 5.1 Digital. Now a month into the new year, Roccat today says its flagship headset is available to purchase.

The Kave XTD 5.1 Digital is somewhat unique in that it comes with a fully-equipped desktop remote with a built-in premium 5.1 sound card. It's the not the only headset to bring its own 5.1 soundcard to the party, but it is one of just a handful of options.

Roccat's Smart Link technology is also included in the remote. This lets users pair their smartphone to the remote using Bluetooth, which then allows them to make and receive phone calls through the headset while gaming. When making a phone call, the headset automatically mutes the chat software so your gaming buddies don't have to listen to you whisper sweet nothings to your significant other.

The headset is a bit hard to track down at the moment, though we did find it listed on Amazon.

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Intel is Abandoning AppUp Store for Windows PCs, Shuts Down March 11

Posted: 30 Jan 2014 08:25 AM PST

AppUp ClosedIntel's app store bites the dust

Let's have a show of hands -- how many of you accessed Intel's AppUp center in the last week? Last month? Ever? We see a few of you out there, but not many, which is likely why Intel has decided to board up shop and move on to something else. The Santa Clara chip maker announced in a blog post that it's shutting down the AppUp center on March 11, 2014 so that it can focus on other things.

"At Intel, we're always thinking about the future, which often means making changes today. That's why, on March 11th, 2014, Intel AppUp center will come to a close as we focus on developing new and exciting PC innovations that will continue to shape your world," Intel said.

After March 11, there will be no new content or apps available to download. Support for already purchased apps will remain via email in English only up through June 15, 2014. If you already own apps, you'll need to keep the AppUp client installed for them to continue to work, Intel notes in its FAQ.

If you have no interest in your purchased apps, you can submit a request for a refund. Intel said it will be offering refunds up through December 19, 2014.

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Newegg Daily Deals: Samsung 24-inch Touchscreen Monitor, Antec NeoECO 520W PSU, and More!

Posted: 30 Jan 2014 07:28 AM PST

Samsung Touchscreen Monitornewegg logo

Top Deal:

You can tap and poke and swipe your monitor all you want, if it doesn't sport a touchscreen panel, all you'll get is a bunch of fingerprints and smudges while Windows 8.1 stares blankly at your futile attempts to navigate the OS. If you'd like to change that, check out today's top deal for a Samsung S24C770 24-inch USB Multitouch Monitor for $350 with free shipping (normally $400 -- use coupon code: [EMCPWHB48]). In addition to touch support, Samsung's panel features a sliding-tilt stand that adjusts up to 55 degrees.

Other Deals:

EVGA SuperClocked GeForce GTX 760 2GB w/ EVGA ACX Cooler Video Card for $250 with free shipping (normally $250; $50 off Shield w/ GTX combo & free Assassin's Creed IV, limited offer)

Seagate Expansion 1TB USB 3.0 Black Portable Hard Drive for $60 with free shipping (normally $80 - use coupon code: [EMCPWHB44])

Cooler Master Storm Trooper Full Tower Computer Gaming Case for $145 with free shipping (normally $150 - use coupon code: [EMCPWHB35]; adittional $20 Mail-in rebate)

Antec NeoECO 520W Power Supply for $60 with free shipping (normally $70 - use coupon code: [EMCPWHB34]; adittional $20 Mail-in rebate)

AMD's Catalyst 14.1 drivers are incoming with Mantle update and more

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 10:28 PM PST

Mantle update, frame pacing fixes, and more arriving soon

AMD MantleAMD let us know that it's on-schedule with its highly-anticipated Mantle API update for Battlefield 4, and will be delivering it January 30th. Following the update it will release Catalyst 14.1 Beta drivers, which are required to run the Mantle API in Battlefield. The new drivers will include the mantle update as well as a host of additional updates that include phase two of its frame pacing fix, HSA implementation for Kaveri APUs, and more. 

According to AMD, the Mantle patch will arrive via an update through the Origin client for Battlefield 4 on January 30th, at 4:00AM EST. To receive the update you must update the game through Origin. The game won't automatically default to using the Mantle API however, but you'll be able to select it in the game's options. To be honest, we're still a bit unclear on whether you'll be able to run Mantle on a driver other than Catalyst 14.1, but we'll find out soon enough. AMD tells us the Catalyst 14.1 drivers are required to run Mantle in Battlefield 4, so you can update your game apparently but won't be able to run it unless you have the new driver. The highly-anticipated Mantle demo StarSwarm will also be coming out in on Steam January 30th at "roughly" 3:00PM. You can see a video of it in action right here.

Since you are probably wondering what kind of performance improvement you will see with the Mantle update, assuming you are using a GCN-based GPU (HD 7000, R9, and R7 GPUs), AMD has sent us information from its testing that will give you some insight. First off, it notes that the biggest gains will be achieved on systems with mid-to-low end CPUs that are essentially CPU constrained. According to AMD, "Mantle makes the most significant (and we do mean significant) performance benefit for gaming scenarios that are CPU-limited."

For those of you with beefy CPUs where the GPU is the limiting factor, AMD says don't get your hopes up. It writes, "An API change is unlikely to make a drastic change in these scenarios, as GPU resources are being maximally utilized in a fashion that is difficult to improve at the API-level."

Battlefield 4

Briefly, here are the numbers AMD has provided for Battlefield 4:

CPU: AMD A10-7700K with Radeon R9 290X - 40.9% improvement at 1080p, 40.1% improvement at 1600p.

CPU: Intel Core i7-4960x with Radeon R7 260x - 2.7% improvement at 1080p, 1.4% improvement at 1600p.

 

It also provided numbers for the upcoming RTS demo from Oxide games named StarSwarm:

CPU: AMD A10-7700K and Radeon R9 290X - 319% improvement at 1080p, 281% improvement at 1600p.

CPU: Intel Core i7-4960X and Radeon R7 260X - 5.1% at 1080p, 16.7% at 1600p.

In addition, AMD has released a list of known issues for its Catalyst 14.1 drivers. It told us that rather than delay the release of Mantle because of these issues it wanted to get it into the hands of gamers as soon as possible so it can get real-world feedback as it works to fix the issues. Here they are:

1. Mantle performance for the AMD Radeon HD 7000/HD 8000 Series GPUs and AMD Radeon R9 280X and R9 270X GPUs will be optimized for BattleField 4 in future AMD Catalyst releases. These products will see limited gains in BattleField 4 and AMD is currently investigating optimizations for them as they are the next highest priority products.

2. Multi-GPU support under DirectX and Mantle will be added to StarSwarm in a future application patch. 

3. Intermittent stuttering or stability issues may occur when utilizing Mantle with AMD CrossFire technology in BattleField 4.

4. Notebooks based on AMD Enduro or PowerXpress™ technologies are currently not supported by Mantle in Battlefield 4.

5. Portrait mode display configurations are currently not supported under Mantle in Battlefield 4. 

6. AMD Eyefinity technology is not currently supported in the StarSwarm application.

7. Disabling AMD CrossFire technology in the AMD Catalyst Control Center may cause a system hang. If you experience this, a reboot will ensure that AMD CrossFire is disabled.

 

But wait, there's more! In addition to all this the Catalyst 14.1 drivers will also include AMD's "phase 2" frame pacing driver it promised last year. If you recall, the first release of this driver only supported it on one display up to 2560x1600 resolution. It also only worked on DX11 games. Phase 2 broadens support to DX10 and DX11, and allows resolutions higher than 2560x1600, so those of you with 4K panels will appreciate this update. The update also applies to any GPUs that don't feature AMD's XDNA technology, which are the R9 290 and R9 290X boards (it gets rid of the CrossFire cable as they communicate directly through PCI Express). The driver update also helps frame pacing in dual GPU configurations where an APU is coupled with a GPU.

Finally, the Catalyst 14.1 driver is also the first HSA-enabled driver, which allows Kaveri APUs to intelligently cooperate with a GPU to share the workload. The only supporting applications listed by AMD at this time are LibreOffice v4.2.0.1+ and Core AfterShot Pro v1.2.0.6+, but it says more will come online soon.

That's quite a list, so sit tight while AMD works its fingers to the bone prepping the driver to be in your hands very soon. We hope to have some benchmarks up very soon after release. We will also make a new post when the driver is available, and will update this post as well. 

Update: When the driver goes live you can download it here.

Also, Dice has posted its own Mantle benchmarks using different configs, and you can read them here.

 

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Field Journal: Making peace with Vanguard

Posted: 30 Jan 2014 09:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Always, I wanna chat with you, and make a pact with you, and live in diplomacy! Diplomacy! Oh mobs!
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is a weird game. It seems almost purposefully to have been designed to turn away players before they can get a chance to see any of the good in it. Although I've tried it before, I've only recently been able to find some of that good, much to my even more recent dismay.

One of those good things I've found is the Diplomacy system. There's nothing revolutionary about it, but it is a solid and interesting minigame that stands apart from anything most MMOs offer. It's more than just a minigame, though; it's integrated with other systems to create a distinct and worthwhile approach to playing the game apart from adventuring. What makes a simple, card-based tug-of-war all that? I'll try to explain.

Continue reading Field Journal: Making peace with Vanguard

MassivelyField Journal: Making peace with Vanguard originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Jan 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Stronghold Kingdoms update brings warfare to Europe

    Posted: 30 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

    Filed under: , , , ,

    The MMORTS Stronghold Kingdoms is bringing war to medieval Europe! With the upcoming European Warfare update, Firefly Studios is opening up the largest game world to date, complete with 32 different countries each having its own political structure and ruled by its own player king. Players can also band together and seize control of large portions or even the whole of Europe, bringing the likes of Bulgaria, Austria, Sweden, Ireland, and Russia all under the rule of one house. But future emperors should be cautious of spreading their forces too thin and risking it all as they defend themselves from all sides.

    To get in on the action, visit the official site and download the game for free. The war commences at 10 a.m EST on February 13th, 2014.

    MassivelyStronghold Kingdoms update brings warfare to Europe originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Jan 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Perfect Ten: Lessons from three months in Neverwinter

      Posted: 30 Jan 2014 07:00 AM PST

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      D&D
      Recently I decided to end a good run in Neverwinter, my second time back to the game that went well over three months. It was a strange period, no doubt, mostly because of the conversations I'd get into people about it.

      "You're playing Neverwinter? Are you, like, trying to be ironic?" they'd ask, with internet eyebrows all quizzical.

      "I know! I don't understand it either!" I'd invariably respond. "But... it's fun. It is!" That last bit always dribbled off my lips.

      Then our friendship would be terminated and I'd have to rely on my fallback companion, a pen pal from Austria who sends me notes in an archaic form of German. I guess Neverwinter isn't a super-serious MMO for super-serious players, but there's something very Pringles about it: Once you start playing, you can't stop. Well, at least not for three months. So since my time in it is through (for now), I thought I'd share with you 10 lessons I picked up in three months.

      Continue reading Perfect Ten: Lessons from three months in Neverwinter

      MassivelyPerfect Ten: Lessons from three months in Neverwinter originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Jan 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Monument to be built for EVE's largest battle ever

        Posted: 30 Jan 2014 06:30 AM PST

        Filed under: , , , ,

        EVE Online
        EVE Online is known for its epic battles. Last Monday not only saw the biggest EVE battle to date, but the developers and players have already started work on a monument to remember the event.

        The Bloodbath of B-R5RB, as the battle is now known, will be commemorated in game with the Titanomachy monument, constructed from the wrecked models of the brand new Titan ship introduced with Rubicon's 1.1 release (coincidentally right after that battle). The permanent monument site will live around the seventh planet in the B-R5RB solar system and is already expected to be a pilgrimage destination for many players.

        You can read a complete recap of the Bloodbath of B-R5RB on the most recent dev diary, and be sure to tune in today at 19:00 UTC (2:00 p.m. EST) for a developer livestream discussing the event and Rubicon 1.1's release.

        MassivelyMonument to be built for EVE's largest battle ever originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Jan 2014 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Guild Wars 2 Edge of the Mists Q&A with Devon Carver

        Posted: 30 Jan 2014 06:00 AM PST

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        Edge of the Mists
        The newest addition to Guild Wars 2's World vs. World map family, Edge of the Mists, began beta testing in late November of 2013. With February 4th's content release, ArenaNet will introduce it to the live game, at which point it will be set upon by Scarlet Briar's forces and players will most likely get to punt plenty of Aetherblades right off the edge of the Mists and into the formless void of the Mists proper. Gosh darn it, Scarlet, this is why we can't have nice things.

        It's a good thing Devon Carver, head of the WvW design team, has penned a blog post about the real business of WvW: players punting each other into the formless void of the Mists. Massively got to chat with him about the upcoming release, so jump past the break to get the scoop on what the WvW team has in store!

        Continue reading Guild Wars 2 Edge of the Mists Q&A with Devon Carver

        MassivelyGuild Wars 2 Edge of the Mists Q&A with Devon Carver originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Jan 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: Which of the recent SOE shutdowns will prove the most influential?

        Posted: 30 Jan 2014 05:00 AM PST

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        Vanguard drake moon
        SOE is putting down four of its MMOs this year, and while this has been discussed to death here and elsewhere over the past few days, one thing I haven't seen is any chatter about the legacies -- good or bad -- of Vanguard, Free Realms, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Wizardry Online.

        So, let's talk about that now. Which of these four games do you think will prove the most influential in the long run? Why?

        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: Which of the recent SOE shutdowns will prove the most influential? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Jan 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Stream Team: Invading SWTOR's Dread Fortress

          Posted: 29 Jan 2014 06:00 PM PST

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          The Stream Team: Invading SWTOR's Dread Fortress
          Now that the Rakghoul plague has vanished for good (it is for good, right?), it's time to tackle the hard-mode Dread Fortress. Massively's Larry Everett and the 16-man team from the Nefarious Intent guild are ready to get back to work -- as much as you can call raiding work. Join Raid Night at 9:00 p.m. EST as the team tackles some of the toughest bosses Star Wars: The Old Republic has to offer.

          Game: Star Wars: The Old Republic
          Host: Larry Everett
          Date: Wednesday, January 29th, 2014
          Time: 9:00 p.m. EST

          Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

          Continue reading The Stream Team: Invading SWTOR's Dread Fortress

          MassivelyThe Stream Team: Invading SWTOR's Dread Fortress originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Stream Team: Going for the Gatekeeper in The Secret World

            Posted: 29 Jan 2014 04:00 PM PST

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            There comes a time in the life of every Illuminati in The Secret World (and Templar and Dragon) that she must gather up her courage and finally face the penultimate challenge: The Gatekeeper. Long has this golden boy blocked Massively's MJ from entering the hardest modes of the dungeons, so now she's heading to his lair and plans to push him out of the way. To show off the variety of fights, MJ will engage him as each of the archetypes of tank, DPS, and healer. However, she can defeat him only once. Join us live at 7:00 p.m. to cheer her on during this important TSW rite of passage.

            Game: The Secret World
            Host: MJ Guthrie
            Date: Wednesday, January 29th, 2014
            Time: 7:00 p.m. EST

            Enjoy our Steam Team video below.

            Continue reading The Stream Team: Going for the Gatekeeper in The Secret World

            MassivelyThe Stream Team: Going for the Gatekeeper in The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Here's what's in D3's Reaper of Souls CE

              Posted: 29 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST

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              Reaper of Souls CE box
              Want to give Blizzard more money? Now you can thanks to the Reaper of Souls collector's edition. Diablo III's expansion drops on March 25, and while the devs have mentioned the retail-exclusive CE box before, today's post marks the first time you can actually lay eyes upon the wonderment.

              MassivelyHere's what's in D3's Reaper of Souls CE originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              The Art of Wushu: Hacking and account security

              Posted: 29 Jan 2014 02:00 PM PST

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              When people say they get hacked in online games, I always assume it's the user's fault. The one time I was ever hacked, I could trace it directly back to a situation where I knew my username/password was compromised and I used the same set anyway. Ever since then, I've used more secure logins and passwords, and I've never had an issue.

              Age of Wushu has come under fire recently for a large string of hacks, and I jumped to the same conclusion. These hacks always seem like a big deal to the people who get hacked, and Age of Wushu is the kind of game where people are incentivized to steal other peoples' stuff. It's natural that people would hack forums or other less secure places and use that information to get whatever accounts they could find.

              But I've started hearing rumors that people are getting hacked in spite of randomized passwords. One player told me of a friend who deliberately posted a valuable commodity in world chat, traded it to an alt, and logged in the original character later to find that the first character had lost all of her money. Is there something going on?

              Continue reading The Art of Wushu: Hacking and account security

              MassivelyThe Art of Wushu: Hacking and account security originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Defiance Q&A covers the 7th Legion's background

                Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:00 PM PST

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                Defiance
                Trion Worlds posted a series of questions and answers today covering the upcoming 7th Legion DLC for Defiance.

                The 7th Legion is an old organization that was founded shortly after the Arkfall, whereupon campers in the Yukon saw the devastation and decided to follow the bushido code of Yoshida Hiro. It's a faction that's different than others in the game, deeply embracing the cyberpunk western motif as it navigates relationships with humans and aliens alike.

                If you want to learn more about the 7th Legion, give the Q&A a quick read! Players that purchase the DLC will be given a chance to enlist in the Legion and equipped with its signature gear and skills.

                MassivelyDefiance Q&A covers the 7th Legion's background originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Leaderboard: What sort of MMO would you make?

                Posted: 29 Jan 2014 12:00 PM PST

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                Game Dev Story
                For this week's Leaderboard, let's play a little game. It's called Grossly Oversimplified MMO Development. Yeah, I know, that title needs work. At any rate, you've just been promoted to creative director at Acme Games, Inc. and now it's up to you to choose the primary focus of your company's next MMORPG.

                Now, before you get all uppity about the five choices and the fact that you can only pick one, realize that picking one doesn't exclude the others from your game. For example, you might have story content in your virtual world title, or PvE content in your PvP title. Ultimately, though, your game cannot be all things to all people, and this choice is your baseline in terms of what the game exists to facilitate.

                Head past the cut to get started!

                Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!

                Continue reading Leaderboard: What sort of MMO would you make?

                MassivelyLeaderboard: What sort of MMO would you make? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  MMO Mechanics: Encouraging the daily grind

                  Posted: 29 Jan 2014 11:00 AM PST

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                  MMO Mechanics title image
                  I've written before about how developers use clever mechanics to lower the barrier to entry in order to encourage more people to play MMOs, but how do they keep players interested after they have rolled a new character? More often than not, MMOs greatly benefit from hanging onto players for as long as possible, so encouraging regular play is a massive priority for development teams. As a genre that thrives on creating a connected and dynamic community, MMOs are strengthened by keeping up the number of players that log in daily. This also encourages longevity since players make meaningful connections with the people they are linked to through daily play.

                  Utilising daily quests, creating an ongoing need for crafted equipment, and necessitating the farming of materials for the good of the collective are all very accessible ways to encourage players to log into their favourite MMO world on a regular basis. As useful as developers may find them, though, the appeal of repeatable daily content is hotly debated by MMO players. For some, low-octane daily content is a brilliant way to unwind that doesn't require a regimented schedule to complete, but many others find the repetition inherent in some daily content tiresome and uninspired.

                  In this week's MMO Mechanics, I'm going to look at the various applications of daily content in today's MMOs while weighing up the pros and cons of several of these techniques.

                  Continue reading MMO Mechanics: Encouraging the daily grind

                  MassivelyMMO Mechanics: Encouraging the daily grind originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Star Trek Online celebrates its fourth anniversary with a look back at the previous year

                    Posted: 29 Jan 2014 10:30 AM PST

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                    The Federation really got into two-tone ships this year.
                    This year, Star Trek Online turns four years old. So how do you celebrate four years of operation on a single game? Well, in this case, you start with a look back over the past year. The newest trailer from the team at Cryptic Studios, embedded just past the break, shows off the highlights of 2013 in Star Trek Online for players who've been away from the game or those who would just like a quick refresher.

                    So what happened? Lots of stuff. The game launched its first full expansion with Legacy of Romulus, players took on the Voth and met up with Worf again, and a whole lot of seasonal fun was had with jetpacks and animated snowmen. But you don't need us to tell you about all of that, do you? The trailer's ready to show you all of that and offer a few glimpses into the future. Why not take a look?

                    Continue reading Star Trek Online celebrates its fourth anniversary with a look back at the previous year

                    MassivelyStar Trek Online celebrates its fourth anniversary with a look back at the previous year originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Choose My Adventure: Hanging my hat in EverQuest

                    Posted: 29 Jan 2014 10:00 AM PST

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                    If ya'll were all fired up to see a rousing round of Age of Conan over the next few weeks, yer gonna be disappointed. This rodeo don't take kindly to cheatin', so AoC's been disqualified. What I can't figure out is why the perps would brag so brazenly about tryin' to fix the event. Do they think we don't read forums? Maybe some folks just fell off a horse and hit their heads one too many times?

                    I'm sadder than a frog without a lilypad; I feel bad for all the genuine rule-followin' fans who wanted to see their favorite game get the spotlight it certainly deserves. And this will really put a bee in their bonnets: AoC probably woulda won even without the tamperin', so those fools who decided they didn't want to play fair an' square just blew it for the rest of ya. And here I was looking forward to returnin' to Hyboria. For those supporters who voted legitimately, I hope ya still get your time in the ring in another Choose My Adventure.

                    With that unfortunate business outta the way, I'd like to introduce ya'll to the star of our show: EverQuest. It edged out Anarchy Online by just a few votes to takes its place as the next CMA title. Ya might find it a bit ironic that the keeper of the Norrathian Notebook is heading to Norrath, but since my first attempt to sink my feet in that soil didn't pan out, I'm hopin' it'll be different with ya'll directing the adventure. 'Sides, seems kinda fitting, it being the Year of EverQuest and all. Now there's a whole mess o' choices this week, from race to class to server, so get in there and brand yours before 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, January 31st.

                    Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Hanging my hat in EverQuest

                    MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Hanging my hat in EverQuest originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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