General Gaming Article

Posted: 20 Apr 2014 04:44 PM PDT

Move over Precise Pangolin and Windows XP, Trusty Tahr is here

The Ubuntu team recently announced the release of what is only the fifth long-term support (LTS) version of the popular Linux distro. In keeping with the current Ubuntu release cycle, this latest LTS release, dubbed Ubuntu 14.04 "Trusty Tahr", comes two years after the last one.

One look at the accompanying release notes is all it takes for one to realize that Trusty Tahr is as much about burnishing existing functionality as it is about paving the way for, as Canonical put it in its press release, "true convergence across desktop, phone and tablet." Although Ubuntu Touch 14.04, notable for being the first to support the tablet form-factor, is still not a supported release and only available as a separate download from the desktop flavor, Canonical's ultimate aim is to combine the two.

"Full convergence means that the same code for operating systems and applications will be running on all types of devices, from phones to tablets to desktops, and even both smaller and larger devices," Ubuntu's engineering VP Rick Spencer told ArsTechnica in a statement. "Convergence is still a work in progress, and we will continue to move the code to the desktop as it is ready in each release."

According to the company, the first commercially available Ubuntu tablets, whenever they become available, will be based on 14.04 LTS. As for those of you who just can't wait any longer, you'll be happy to note that you can install the latest version of Ubuntu Touch on the Nexus 10, Nexus 7 (2013) and Nexus 4 right now.

Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, which includes version 3.13 of the Linux kernel, also packs a number of improvements on the desktop front, including support for high-DPI screens, the option to choose the application menu position, a redesigned application spread, and some new window decorations.

All in all, Canonical feels, 14.04 LTS has enough to be a good replacement for Windows XP. Here's what Canonical CEO Jane Silber said in a press release: "The 14.04 LTS release offers a solid, intuitive experience which is easy to manage. It is a viable and affordable alternative for those organisations considering a switch from Microsoft, and specifically those replacing XP or Windows 7 as they come to the end of life."

"Ubuntu 14.04 LTS is the first long-term support release with support for the new 'arm64' architecture for 64-bit ARM systems, as well as the 'ppc64el' architecture for little-endian 64-bit POWER systems. This release also includes several subtle but welcome improvements to Unity, AppArmor, and a host of other great software," the Ubuntu team wrote in a recent blog post.

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MMO Updates

Stick and Rudder: On crowdfunding and 'dev abuse'
One Shots: You won't believe what color this horse is
The Daily Grind: What's the silliest thing you've done for an MMO achievement?
WildStar's new interface profiled in video
Make My MMO: April 13 - April 19, 2014
PAX East 2014: Can World of Warcraft's garrisons live up to the hype?
The Stream Team: Esper adventures in the WildStar beta

Stick and Rudder: On crowdfunding and 'dev abuse'

Posted: 20 Apr 2014 10:00 AM PDT

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, Culture, MMO Industry, New Titles, Opinion, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Stick and Rudder, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play

The DFM PAX reveal came and went, and it was exactly what I expected: full of bugs befitting an alpha state and still absolutely stunning in terms of its potential.

And that's all that really needs to be said about that, at least until we get our hands on it in the comfort of our own homes! I'm more interested in riffing off some of the trollish behavior from the pre-PAX backer-only gala. If you watched the full presentation, you probably know what I'm talking about. If you didn't, well, it was basically drunks being drunk, but it leads into something I've wanted to talk about for a while, which is mass appeal, niches, and the gaming industry viewed through the prism of Star Citizen.

Continue reading Stick and Rudder: On crowdfunding and 'dev abuse'

Stick and Rudder: On crowdfunding and 'dev abuse' originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Apr 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: You won't believe what color this horse is

Posted: 20 Apr 2014 08:00 AM PDT

Filed under: Screenshots, EverQuest II, Culture, One Shots, Free Realms, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Miscellaneous, The Elder Scrolls Online

Let's start our time together today by playing a game! The game is this: You have until you hit the "continue reading" button to figure out what color this horse (well, technically a unicorn) is. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

This picture comes from reader Becca: "Here is my EverQuest 2 Fury, Sarense, riding her mighty steed. I spent a few hours grinding out candy hearts to get this mount, which shoots hearts out of his eyes and hooves (unfortunately not captured here). He's a hardcore stallion. Look at his cocky stare. He knows that you know he's a badass."

My apologies in advance for our colorblind readers who think that this game is unfair. I'll tell you the answer to be fair: It's purple. Shh! Don't tell the rest of our readers, OK?

Continue reading One Shots: You won't believe what color this horse is

One Shots: You won't believe what color this horse is originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Apr 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What's the silliest thing you've done for an MMO achievement?

Posted: 20 Apr 2014 06:00 AM PDT

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, The Daily Grind, Anniversaries

It's festival time in Lord of the Rings Online, which means that it's time to do all manner of inane activities in order to collect tokens and trade them for mounts, clothing, etc.

I'm actually more amenable to this sort of thing than I used to be, probably because I'm maxed out and looking for any sort of excuse to visit Middle-earth. And what better excuse is there than a series of achievements that grants the title of Master Blaster, provided you have the patience (and the silver) to stand around and fire off 300 vendor-purchased fireworks?

Yep, that's my what's-the-silliest-thing-you've-done-for-an-MMO-achievement story. What's yours?

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's the silliest thing you've done for an MMO achievement? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Apr 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WildStar's new interface profiled in video

Posted: 19 Apr 2014 06:00 PM PDT

Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, Game Mechanics, Patches, News Items, WildStar

Friend of Massively Richie "Bogotter" Procopio is back with yet another WildStar video, this one focusing on the beta title's brand-new user interface 2.0, which flattens some of the UI elements that before floated a little bit too high into the field of play. Of course, as he notes, the UI is moddable and can be altered to taste by each player. Combat popups, inventory, and menu options have also been tweaked.

If you missed it, Bogotter covered the new character creation options in yesterday's video. Enjoy his UI preview after the break!

Continue reading WildStar's new interface profiled in video

WildStar's new interface profiled in video originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Apr 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: Bogotter's YouTube

Make My MMO: April 13 - April 19, 2014

Posted: 19 Apr 2014 04:00 PM PDT

Filed under: Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Crowdfunding, Make My MMO

MMO crowdfunding news this week centered on industry titans Richard Garriott and Chris Roberts, as well as The Secret World's new ARG companion game called The Black Watchmen. The title kicks off in September and is currently being funded through a Crowdtilt campaign that still has 49 days left to run.

For more info on the title, click past the cut or check out Massively's Black Watchmen interview.

Continue reading Make My MMO: April 13 - April 19, 2014

Make My MMO: April 13 - April 19, 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Apr 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX East 2014: Can World of Warcraft's garrisons live up to the hype?

Posted: 19 Apr 2014 01:00 PM PDT

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Betas, Fantasy, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Previews, PvE, Opinion, Hands-On, First Impressions, Events (Massively's Coverage), Housing

Like many players, I have very mixed feelings about the garrisons being added to World of Warcraft's latest expansion, Warlords of Draenor. At this year's PAX East, I sat down with Blizzard Entertainment to discuss the feature, and the studio reps explained garrisons as a way for Blizzard to bring a bit of Warcraft into the WoW universe. As a fan of WarCraft 3, I left the interview feeling hopeful and excited. But the more I thought about it, the more I began to worry that garrisons will boil down to one of three things: an expanded version of Mists of Pandaria's farms, a new daily quest hub, or just another time-sink that will keep players isolated from one another.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: Can World of Warcraft's garrisons live up to the hype?

PAX East 2014: Can World of Warcraft's garrisons live up to the hype? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Apr 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Stream Team: Esper adventures in the WildStar beta

Posted: 19 Apr 2014 11:00 AM PDT

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, New Titles, Livestream, WildStar, The Stream Team, Subscription

It's time once again for Massively's MJ to grab her ectoplasmic throwing stars and leap back into the WildStar beta! There are plenty more adventures to be had (and Dominion to eradicate) on her journey to a level that allows housing. That's right -- MJ is going to push for the exalted level of 14! How much experience can she store up in one hour? Join us live at 1:00 p.m. for the wild XP ride.

Game: WildStar
Host: MJ Guthrie
Date: Saturday, April 19th, 2014
Time: 1:00 p.m. EDT

Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

Continue reading The Stream Team: Esper adventures in the WildStar beta

The Stream Team: Esper adventures in the WildStar beta originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Apr 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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