General Gaming Article

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• Yes, VIA's Eight-Screen Video Wall Can Display Crysis
• Intel Quietly Rolls Out Updated Bay Trail NUC, Stomps Out USB 3.0 Bug
• Dell's Entry Level Precision M2800 Mobile Workstation is Now Available to Purchase
• OCZ Skips Over SATA, Announces PCIe-Based RevoDrive 350
• Sayonara, Net Neutrality: FCC Proposes Premium Priced Internet Fast Lanes
• Newegg Daily Deals: Seagate 1TB Solid State Hybrid Drive, Intel Core i5 4570 Haswell, and More!

Yes, VIA's Eight-Screen Video Wall Can Display Crysis Posted: 24 Apr 2014 12:22 PM PDT Stale jokes leads to an awesome new demonstration It doesn't matter if you're showing off a new 1,000-core processor armed with 100 gaming-grade graphics cards or a fancy new toaster with an LCD display, some yahoo is always going to ask, "Yes, but can it run Crysis?" It's an old joke, one that was again recycled recently when VIA was giving a demonstration of its 8-panel video wall, and VIA decided to answer it. Spoiler alert: the answer is yes, and we have the video to prove it. VIA's "Video Wall" solution is unique not just because of the multiple displays, but also due to the ways the screens can be arranged. According to VIA, they can be arranged in any required geometry, two of which it has on display in its labs -- one is a 15-panel video wall and the other is an 8-panel video wall in a fishbone design. "VIA MagicView software is used to lay out how available video content is shown across the screens, through an easy to use drag-and-drop interface. Besides playing back pre-recorded videos, the wall can show live recordings, or screen capture from an external computer. All it takes is connecting the video source with an HDMI-in cable to the VIA MW Video Wall Controller server," VIA explains. That includes the ability to run Crysis, provided the source is up to the task. Check it out: It was TweakTown that posed the question at the end of its write-up on the video wall technology. You can see additional pics of the setup by showing them aome love and clicking through. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Intel Quietly Rolls Out Updated Bay Trail NUC, Stomps Out USB 3.0 Bug Posted: 24 Apr 2014 11:39 AM PDT A new revision NUC works out a few kinks Intel's attempt at infiltrating the mini PC market with its Next Unit of Computing (NUC) device has been met with some growing pains, one of the first of which is it had a tendency to lock up unless you removed the internal Wi-Fi card. That's long been fixed, though there have been reports of other issues, such as a USB 3.0 bug. A new revision NUC is supposed to squash the USB 3.0 bug, along with a few other issues. The folks at FanlessTech alerted us to Intel's Product Change Notification (PDF). What is says is that Intel is replacing the original Celeron N2820 with a Celeron N2830. The newer chip has a new stepping (C0), faster clockspeed (2.1GHz to 2.41GHz), and adds support for DDR3L-1333 memory. Apparently users had reported several minor driver and USB issues with NUCs based on the original Celeron. The latest revision DN2820FYKH should address those issues, Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Dell's Entry Level Precision M2800 Mobile Workstation is Now Available to Purchase Posted: 24 Apr 2014 09:52 AM PDT Dell is taking aim at design professionals on-the-go and students Workstations aren't typically inexpensive, nor are they often portable (there are exceptions). Dell set out to tackle both barriers by introducing the Precision M2800 Mobile Workstation last month, though at the time the OEM wasn't able to share pricing information or an exact release date. Now we have both -- the Dell Precision M2800 Mobile Workstation is available to purchase today starting at $1,199 on the nose. The Precision M2800 is a 15.6-inch laptop that comes standard with a Full HD 1080p (1920x1020) anti-glare display, Intel Core i5 4200M processor (dual-core 2.5GHz, 3.1GHz Turbo, 3MB cache), 8GB of single-channel DDR3L-1600, 500GB solid state hybrid drive, AMD FirePro M4170 discrete graphics with 2GB of GDDR5 memory, DVD burner, Wi-Fi, GbE LAN, Bluetooth 4.0, four USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and VGA output, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, ISV certification, and a few other odds and ends. "The 15.6-inch mobile workstation is ISV-certified for leading applications such as Autodesk AutoCAD, Inventor, and Revit, Solidworks and PTC Creo, among many others. The M2800 has a choice of fourth-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors to have the battery and power to compliment handling massive amounts of data and an AMD FirePro W4170M graphics card to do the rendering to keep up with requirements on the go," Dell stated in a blog post Higher end configurations are available. There are four baseline systems to start from, the most expensive of which starts at $1,629. It and the others are configurable. You can order a Precision M2800 direct from Dell. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

OCZ Skips Over SATA, Announces PCIe-Based RevoDrive 350 Posted: 24 Apr 2014 08:52 AM PDT Super fast drive offers up to 1.8GB/s of sequential speeds, according to OCZ It wasn't all that long ago when it seemed silly to think we'd ever saturate the SATA interface. Solid state drives have made that possible, which is why OCZ decided to tap into the PCI Express Gen. 2 x8 interface for its latest storage product. According to OCZ, it's RevoDrive 350 can hit up to 1.8GB/s in sequential performance, along with up to 140,000 4K random write IOPS. Toshiba's OCZ Storage Solutions division built the RevoDrive 350 for professional content creation, multimedia, and extreme gaming applications. It uses Toshiba's 19nm NAND flash memory paired with up to four LSI SF-2282 processors to deliver blazing fast RAID performance in an easy-to-deploy, single card solution. "The new RevoDrive 350 is built using proven technology with the added benefit of utilizing in-house premium Toshiba flash and OCZ's proprietary Virtualized Controller Architecture (VCA) 2.0 to deliver highly efficient performance aggregation while reducing the burden on host resources," said Daryl Lang, Senior Vice President of Product Management for OCZ Storage Solutions."This next generation PCIe SSD is the ideal solution for performance-minded users looking to maximize both bandwidth and density for the complete gamut of gaming, content creation and workstation applications." In terms of longevity, OCZ claims its RevoDrive 350 can withstand up ot 50GB of host writes per day for 3 years, which is the length of the warranty. The RevoDrive 350 is available 240GB ($530), 480GB ($830), and 960GB ($1,300) capacities with support for both Linux and Windows. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Sayonara, Net Neutrality: FCC Proposes Premium Priced Internet Fast Lanes Posted: 24 Apr 2014 08:08 AM PDT FCC proposes rules that would allow broadband providers to charge companies for faster Internet service Net neutrality activists are up in arms over a set of proposed rules that would give broadband providers the green light to charge companies a premium for access to faster Internet access. The proposal was developed by FCC chairman Tom Wheeler as a compromise between keeping the Internet an open environment while preventing ISPs like Comcast from blocking or throttling certain types of traffic. You may recall the recent spat between Netflix and Comcast in which subscribers of both services were caught in the middle. Since Netflix consumes so much bandwidth and accounts for a large portion of Internet traffic, it was believed by many that Comcast began throttling Netflix streams, especially during peak hours (Comcast denies this). Comcast wanted Netflix to pay a premium for unfettered access into homes, and while the two were caught in a standoff, Comcast subscribers logging into Netflix experienced frequent buffering, a degradation in video quality, and even service dropouts. Netflix eventually agreed to pay what it considers an Internet toll and inked a multi-year agreement with Comcast to ensure its traffic has direct access into homes. In essence, the FCC's proposed rules sides with Comcast and says this practice is perfectly acceptable. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, ISPs could give preferential treatment to traffic from some content providers if the arrangements are available on "commercially reasonable" terms for all parties involved. That's a bit vague, perhaps on purpose, as the FCC would decide these things on a case-by-case basis. "The FCC is inviting ISPs to pick winners and losers online," Michael Weinberg, a vice president at Public Knowledge, stated in an email to PCWorld. "The very essence of a 'commercial reasonableness' standard is discrimination. And the core of net neutrality is nondiscrimination. This is not net neutrality." Similar sentiments are shared by net neutrality activists far and wide. Free Press President and CEO Craig Aaron told PCWorld "the FCC is aiding and abetting the largest ISPs in their efforts to destroy the open Internet." To be fair, that's not the FCC's intent, but one thing the proposal fails to touch on is how the costs of dedicated pipes gets passed on to the consumer. Is it any coincidence that Netflix is raising its prices for new members by $1 to $2 following its multi-year agreement with Comcast? Probably not. You Have a Voice If the FCC's proposal ticks you off, you'll have a chance to voice your concern. The FCC will circulate the propose on Thursday followed by a vote to move forward with the proposal at its May 15 meeting. In the meantime, you can write, call, or email your local representatives to let them know how you feel about the proposal. You can also add your name to a petition that's already over 1 million signatures long. Image Credit: Flickr (Blaise Alleyne) Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: Seagate 1TB Solid State Hybrid Drive, Intel Core i5 4570 Haswell, and More! Posted: 24 Apr 2014 06:25 AM PDT Top Deal: Speed or capacity? Speed or capacity? Speed or capacity? Speed or capacity? You can ask yourself this question a million times and flip-flop on your answer, or you can choose both. Wait, what? Hey, just take a look at today's top deal for a Seagate 1TB Solid State Hybrid Drive for $80 with free shipping (normally $97 - use coupon code: [EMCPFHH28]). It has 1TB of capacity (Yay!) and 8GB of MLC nand flash memory to speed up common chores (Double yay!). On top of all that, this drives rocks 64GB of cache, a SATA 6Gbps interface, and NCQ. Well played, Seagate. Other Deals: Intel Core i5-4570 Haswell 3.2GHz LGA 1150 84W Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics for $190 with free shipping (normally $200 - use coupon code: [EMCPFHH22]) EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB 128-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 FTW w/ ACX Cooling Video Card for $140 with free shipping (normally $150; additional $10 Mail-in rebate) Seagate 600 Series ST480HM000 2.5-inch 480GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive for $220 (normally $230 - use coupon code: [EMCPFHH27]) G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory for $126 with free shipping (normally $140 - use coupon code: [EMCPFHH35])

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MMO Updates

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• WildStar dev donates LEGO sculpture to Child's Play charity
• Trion's latest ArcheAge livestream is all about gliders
• Landmark Live showcases tool and template upgrades, offers sneak peak of water
• The Daily Grind: How can bots be so prevalent in a sub game?
• SMITE unveils Bastet's 'Night Prowler' catsuit
• The Stream Team: Snagging your first mount in ArcheAge
• Diablo III: Reaper of Souls soundtrack available on iTunes
• Leaderboard: Do you need to spend money to enjoy Marvel Heroes?
• Neverwinter will make players choose between mercenaries
• The Elder Scrolls Online expounds on Craglorn's 12-man trials
• CCP posts EVE Fanfest 2014's schedule
• League of Legends introduces Braum, the Heart of the Freljord
• New Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter talks China and 2.25
• Age of Wushu's expansion hits May 7th; here's a trailer
• SWTOR's Galactic Strongholds early access delayed for more features

WildStar dev donates LEGO sculpture to Child's Play charity Posted: 24 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Kids, WildStar WildStar developer Carbine Studios made a special donation at PAX East this year that included a $10,000 check and a 50,000-piece LEGO Rocket House that will be auctioned off for the Child's Play charity. The rocket house LEGO sculpture stands three feet tall and four feet long and was created by LEGO artist Mariann Asanuma specifically for the charity. The sculpture will be auctioned off at the annual Child's Play Dinner later this year with all proceeds going towards partner hospitals and facilities. "We wanted to not only find a fun way to bring a small piece of WildStar to life, but also see the efforts go to a good cause," said Mona Hamilton, vice president of brands, Carbine Studios. "Child's Play is a wonderful charity doing really great things with the gaming industry and we're looking forward to seeing the result of the auction later this year. It was also important for us to say thanks by giving back to the Boston community; they've been great to us over the years at PAX East." You can check out a video of the LEGO sculpture being assembled just after the jump below. [Source: Carbine press release] Continue reading WildStar dev donates LEGO sculpture to Child's Play charity WildStar dev donates LEGO sculpture to Child's Play charity originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Trion's latest ArcheAge livestream is all about gliders Posted: 24 Apr 2014 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, ArcheAge, Sandbox When it comes to unique ArcheAge features, hang-gliders are pretty near the top of my personal list. Even the dinky little starter glider you get as part of a newb zone quest is more fun than it has any right to be, which is why I'll be watching Trion's latest livestream. Said stream is all about gliders, and you can catch it tonight at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Trion's Twitch channel! [Thanks WNxArcticwolf!] Trion's latest ArcheAge livestream is all about gliders originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Landmark Live showcases tool and template upgrades, offers sneak peak of water Posted: 24 Apr 2014 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Crafting, Player-Generated Content, Landmark As announced in the latest livestream, Landmark's weekly beta update was pushed out until Thursday in order to get new systems ready to deploy into the game. (Sadly, none of them includes water, although players did get a sneak peak of it!) Today, players will be able to utilize the new tool upgrading system, the new detailed template interface, and the claim gallery. The tool upgrade system adds a level of depth to crafting, allowing players to increase the stats of all tools made after the update launches. Unlike the initial craft that has elements of RNG dictating the final product, the upgrade system shows players exactly how the tool will be altered. The template interface provides many more details, including which and how many materials are needed for each build and which props are involved, and even it provides a screenshot for ease of reference. Also utilizing the screenshot feature is the new gallery section of the showcase; in or out of game, players will be able to search and view claims by tag or owner name, see where they are located, and upvote them. If you missed the special sneak peek of the first phase of water (oceans) or you want to hear even more details about the impending update or other tidbits (like upcoming changes to the EQ Worlds app, including Landmark-themed games and exclusive Jeremy Soule music), you can watch the entire livestream below. Continue reading Landmark Live showcases tool and template upgrades, offers sneak peak of water Landmark Live showcases tool and template upgrades, offers sneak peak of water originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Landmark Live #12

The Daily Grind: How can bots be so prevalent in a sub game? Posted: 24 Apr 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Bugs, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription Have you ever wondered why MMO devs do (or don't do) certain things? I have, and my latest bit of wondering concerns The Elder Scrolls Online and its bot problem. "Problem" is used somewhat subjectively here, because the infestation of AFK players in Tamriel hasn't harmed my personal play to any measurable degree, though I'm sure it's doing no favors for the long-term health of the in-game economy. But when I see a cluster of five or six AFK melee bots around every single public dungeon boss, "problem" is the only word that comes to mind. I'm not exaggerating, either, I have literally seen 24/7 bot camps in all of the public dungeons from Glenumbra to the Alik'r desert. Yeah, ZeniMax says it's aware of the problem and is doing something about it. But, let's get back to my wondering in the opening paragraph up there. What, exactly, is the company doing about it? ESO is a subscription game, which means that all of those bots entered credit card numbers that can be immediately and permanently banned. Is ZeniMax doing this? If so, why not say that instead of the nebulous devspeak in yesterday's update letter. If not, why not? I understand the futility of trying to ban bots in a F2P game where new accounts are as easy as a new Gmail address and an IP spoof, but I don't understand how so many of them can continue to exist in a game that requires a CC for access. And hey, I would ask ZeniMax myself if I thought I would get anything other than a PR non-answer. So instead, I'm asking you, Massively readers! What do you think? How can bots be so prevalent in a sub game? Bonus points if you have any relevant development insights to share in the comments. 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: How can bots be so prevalent in a sub game? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

SMITE unveils Bastet's 'Night Prowler' catsuit Posted: 23 Apr 2014 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Trailers, Video, Previews, News Items, Humor, MOBA Lest you think catgirls are the private domain of Asian and superhero games, Hi-Rez Studios has upgraded SMITE heroine Bastet with a brand-new "Night Prowler" skin that leaves neither curve nor tail to the imagination. For a small fee, you can ensure that your version of the Egyptian goddess of cats does all of her ass-kicking in a black leather catsuit, just as the Ancient Egyptians would have wanted it. We've got the video after the break. You're going to go click on it now. [Source: Hi-Rez press release] Continue reading SMITE unveils Bastet's 'Night Prowler' catsuit SMITE unveils Bastet's 'Night Prowler' catsuit originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Snagging your first mount in ArcheAge Posted: 23 Apr 2014 06:15 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, New Titles, Livestream, ArcheAge, Sandbox, The Stream Team Those who don't want to adventure around ArcheAge on their own two feet (or paws) have two options: hop on the back of someone's mount or get one of their own. This week, Massively's MJ is going to secure her very own cute and cuddly kitten and raise it into a massive mount. Then she'll have to worry about random stray passengers! Join us live at 8:00 p.m. to experience more of ArcheAge's alpha. Game: ArcheAge Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Wednesday, April 23th, 2014 Time: 8:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Snagging your first mount in ArcheAge The Stream Team: Snagging your first mount in ArcheAge originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls soundtrack available on iTunes Posted: 23 Apr 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, News Items, Diablo III, Music Sure, Diablo III: Reaper of Souls has the perfect soundtrack when you're playing Diablo III. But what can you do when you're not playing the game but you're just out reaping souls on your own time? You can't hum the songs; you'll just look like an idiot. Well, don't despair, because you can now purchase the expansion's soundtrack on iTunes and forever have access to the perfect reaping music in your day-to-day life. The full soundtrack can be purchased for $9.99 and contains 22 tracks with a total running time of just over an hour. Clips are available on the official page in case you just want a couple of tunes and aren't quite sure what they're called; at 22 tracks, though, it's almost more economical to just buy the whole thing. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls soundtrack available on iTunes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Diablo III: Reaper of Souls soundtrack Via: WoW Insider

Leaderboard: Do you need to spend money to enjoy Marvel Heroes? Posted: 23 Apr 2014 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Polls, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvE, Free-to-Play, Marvel Heroes, Leaderboard I think I might play me some Marvel Heroes. Which is somewhat odd since I'm neither a Diablo nor a Marvel fan. It's not that I have anything against the latter, it's just that I've always read Batman comics and nothing but, so my knowledge of the Marvel-verse is restricted to The Avengers flick and Bryan Singer's old X-Men films. Anyway, Gazillion's game is of course free-to-play and I'm installing it via Steam as I type. My question for you, though, is should I spring for any of the cash shop bundles or should I just take what the devs are giving away? Which route did you go, and was it the right decision? Vote after the cut! 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: Do you need to spend money to enjoy Marvel Heroes? Leaderboard: Do you need to spend money to enjoy Marvel Heroes? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Neverwinter will make players choose between mercenaries Posted: 23 Apr 2014 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Neverwinter When Icewind Dale arrives with Neverwinter's Module 3, players will have a difficult decision to make: whether to join up with the Ten-Towners or the Arcane Brotherhood. In a new post, Cryptic explains that these two groups are at conflict with each other in the effort to collect the precious Black Ice. Ten-Towners want the Ice for profit and for those who have lived in the north, while the Arcane Brotherhood desires the substance to increase its members' knowledge. Once a group is chosen, that faction will deliver daily contracts that the player can take up. By repeating the dailies, players can earn enough Black Ice to create a new armor set. Players shouldn't fret too much about their choice, as their allegiance can change on a daily basis with no penalty. Cryptic will also be introducing account shared banks with the module to help pass items between characters with ease. Module 3 arrives on May 13th. Neverwinter will make players choose between mercenaries originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Mercenary contracts

The Elder Scrolls Online expounds on Craglorn's 12-man trials Posted: 23 Apr 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, Patches, Endgame, News Items, Dungeons, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription ZeniMax has just published a dev diary about the brand-new 12-player trials en route to The Elder Scrolls Online with its upcoming Craglorn patch. Trials, the studio stresses, are more than your average raid experience: One of the first things you'll notice about Trials is that they bring a new experience to ESO designed to test even the toughest veterans. You'll need a group of 12 to take them on, but they're not just dungeons that require a large group-we're applying additional pressure. Your team will only have a limited number of resurrections available, and additional rewards will be granted to those who defeat the weekly challenge with one of the top times across the megaserver. What makes 12 players the sweet spot for these encounters? ZeniMax hopes to downplay the organizational hassle of putting together groups, to telegraph fights without too much distraction, to keep them to about 90 minutes in length, and to appropriately rely on player skill rather than zerging. Another bonus raiders will welcome? No lockout timers! Scope out the video below for a first-hand look at the new trials. Continue reading The Elder Scrolls Online expounds on Craglorn's 12-man trials The Elder Scrolls Online expounds on Craglorn's 12-man trials originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Dev diary

CCP posts EVE Fanfest 2014's schedule Posted: 23 Apr 2014 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Events (Real-World), DUST 514, Miscellaneous, Sandbox EVE Fanfest 2014 is just a week away, and participants will be pleased to know that CCP has posted the full schedule for the show. The Fanfest schedule includes the dedication of a monument to EVE's players, the wrestling matches between the staff and CCP, a lecture by NASA's Les Johnson on interstellar travel, news about the future of CCP's game roster, and a blowout party-slash-concert. The studio is psyched about the event: "Ask anyone at the CCP what their favorite time of the year is, they will say Fanfest. It is not just the players who look forward to attending, it's a highlight for us developers as well because interacting with the community is both the soul of our games and a thrilling reward." The 10th EVE Fanfest runs from May 1st through 3rd in Reykjavik, Iceland. The entire convention will be streamed for free on CCP's Twitch channel for fans who can't attend. And stay tuned on Massively, as we will be there on site! CCP posts EVE Fanfest 2014's schedule originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: EVE Fanfest 2014 schedule, A Festival for the Best of Fans

League of Legends introduces Braum, the Heart of the Freljord Posted: 23 Apr 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, News Items, Free-to-Play, MOBA, League of Legends For too long, there's been a hole in the many champions of League of Legends. Braum, the Heart of the Freljord, fills that hole, introducing the first truly impressive moustache to the game and allowing everyone to marvel at every perfectly waxed hair. Oh, and he also serves as a tank support character, which is also a first, but mostly it's about that glorious lip-blanket. Right, you probably want to know a little bit more about what Braum can do. Well, he applies a stacking debuff that stuns enemies with his basic attack, but once the first tap is in place, attacks from allies will also increase the stack count. He also attacks with line-based AoE attacks that snare targets, blocks attacks with his enormous shield, and can dash to his allies to help protect them from further attacks. In short, he's a traditional MMO tank tearing up the League of Legends lanes. And he has a moustache. Did we mention that? League of Legends introduces Braum, the Heart of the Freljord originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Braum, the Heart of the Freljord

New Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter talks China and 2.25 Posted: 23 Apr 2014 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, News Items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, Subscription Final Fantasy XIV is doing pretty well for itself at the moment, and it's still expanding. The latest letter from producer Naoki Yoshida discusses preparations for the game's launch in China, with the cooperation of Shanda Games. Service is expected to launch this summer; the game has just recently launched on the PlayStation 4, expanding its range of available platforms. Yoshida also discusses patch 2.25, which will be live tomorrow. Originally, the patch was slated to include an expansion to the current Zodiac weapon quests; however, Yoshida states in the letter that this system is being pushed back until patch 2.28 goes live in May. The team is hoping to incorporate feedback on the existing quest line and allow players more time to upgrade and receive their Animus weaponry. 2.25 will contain improvements to the Wolves' Den PvP system as well as a new system involving materia, so while further weapon upgrades are on hold, there's still going to be plenty of new things to do. New Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter talks China and 2.25 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Letter from the Producer LVI

Age of Wushu's expansion hits May 7th; here's a trailer Posted: 23 Apr 2014 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Sandbox, Age of Wushu Age of Wushu's Tempest of Strife expansion launches on May 7th. To celebrate, Snail has released an action-packed trailer that shows off new classes, new environments, and the new weather system. ToS also brings new face-lifting customization options, personalization-enabling equipment inscription, and new sects to the table. The martial arts sandbox MMO also boasts a new website as of this morning. Don't forget to click past the cut to watch the trailer! [Source: Snail Games press release] Continue reading Age of Wushu's expansion hits May 7th; here's a trailer Age of Wushu's expansion hits May 7th; here's a trailer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

SWTOR's Galactic Strongholds early access delayed for more features Posted: 23 Apr 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Housing Star Wars: The Old Republic senior producer Bruce Maclean has penned a new producer's letter focused on the upcoming Galactic Strongholds expansion. He states that for GS to truly feel like an expansion, "it needs to include the full set of features including those originally coming later in the year." As such, BioWare is delaying the start of subscriber early access from June 24th to August 19th. Maclean says the additional time will allow the devs to add conquest events, expanded guild flagship functionality, the Tatooine Homestead stronghold, and the ability to place vehicles, mounts, pets, and companions as player housing decorations. BioWare has also moved the deadline date for subscribers who are looking to get early access rewards. It's now July 15th instead of May 11th, meaning that you'll need to sub up by the former date if you want the Nar Shaddaa Sky Palace with three additional rooms and the other promised goodies. After the August 19th subscriber early access period, preferred early access and the official launch will follow in September and October. [Thanks ninjonxb!] SWTOR's Galactic Strongholds early access delayed for more features originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Maclean's letter

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MMORPG News

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• WildStar: Carbine Donates LEGO Rocket House to Child's Play
• Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn: PvP Level Cap Increases to 40
• WildStar: Bring the Skills
• Elder Scrolls Online: Latest Dev Blog Reveals Creative Secrets Behind Trials
• General: NASA Talks Kerbal Space Program
• Shroud of the Avatar: Release 5 Begins Today, Runs Through Sunday
• ArcheAge: Next Exploring ArcheAge Event to Take Flight Today
• Legend of Silkroad: New Site Opens to Prep Players for Beta
• Trials of Ascension: Back to Basics - Dynamic Spawning
• Zombies Ate My Pizza: Dungeons, Weapon Crafting & PvP Systems Added
• Heroes of the Storm: The Hearthstone of MOBAs
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Galactic Strongholds Delayed
• Fortnite: Monsters Profiled in New Article
• General: Game On #41: Delving Dungeons in Elder Scrolls Online
• Destiny: Site Revamp Reveals Three Character Classes
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: House of Glass #2 Released
• EVE Online: Fanfest 2014 to Include Unique Events
• Age of Wushu: Tempest of Strife to Release on May 7th
• TERA: Rising: Ready to Celebrate Its Sophomore Year
• The Crew: A True Racing MMORPG
• Ghost Recon: Phantoms: Attica Heights Map Redesigned & Re-released
• Elder Scrolls Online: Matt Firor Speaks to the Community

WildStar: Carbine Donates LEGO Rocket House to Child's Play Posted: 24 Apr 2014 07:53 AM PDT During last week's PAX East convention, Carbine Studios, developers of WildStar, donated a 50,000 piece LEGO rocket house to the Child's Play charity. The LEGO sculpture is a replica of the in-game rocket house that preorder customers will receive when the game goes live and it will be auctioned off in a forthcoming Child's Play event.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn: PvP Level Cap Increases to 40 Posted: 24 Apr 2014 07:47 AM PDT With today's patch release, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn players will be able to increase their PvP level from 30 to 40. In addition, the patch brings new quests, adjustments to existing content and updates to the overall PvP system.

WildStar: Bring the Skills Posted: 23 Apr 2014 03:35 PM PDT What's more important in WildStar: awesome skills or incredible gear? In this week's column, Gareth Harmer explains why finger finesse will beat shiny baubles.

Elder Scrolls Online: Latest Dev Blog Reveals Creative Secrets Behind Trials Posted: 24 Apr 2014 06:30 AM PDT The latest Elder Scrolls Online developer blog has been posted. In this edition, the team goes into detail about how trials are created. Twelve-player trials will enter the game when the Craglorn Adventure Zone is released into ESO.

General: NASA Talks Kerbal Space Program Posted: 23 Apr 2014 03:54 PM PDT Kerbal Space Program is one of those indie projects that just keeps getting bigger. What started off as a cool little platform with more content generated by users than the actual developers, has grown into a fantastically entertaining game. KSP recently took a giant leap for indie-kind when they teamed up with NASA to roll out a whole new pack of missions and ship parts themed on NASA's mission to capture a near-Earth asteroid.

Shroud of the Avatar: Release 5 Begins Today, Runs Through Sunday Posted: 24 Apr 2014 05:52 AM PDT The Shroud of the Avatar site has been updated with the news that Release 5 will begin today, Thursday, April 24th and will run through Sunday, April 27th. Backers in the First Responders category and above will have access to the game client.

ArcheAge: Next Exploring ArcheAge Event to Take Flight Today Posted: 24 Apr 2014 05:47 AM PDT The ArcheAge team will be on Twitch later today in the latest episode of Exploring ArcheAge. In today's event, the team will be discussing gliders and their unique abilities.

Legend of Silkroad: New Site Opens to Prep Players for Beta Posted: 24 Apr 2014 05:43 AM PDT Folks looking forward to checking out Legend of Silkroad next month will want to head to the brand new web site to find out more about the forthcoming title. The site is packed with nuggets of information about the beta schedule, recent changes to the game client, chances to speak with GMs and more.

Trials of Ascension: Back to Basics - Dynamic Spawning Posted: 21 Apr 2014 05:48 PM PDT Welcome to the first installment of Back to Basics. For the next few months we're going to use this series to help explain some of the features and mechanics in Trials of Ascension. Throughout this series you'll notice that the mechanics / features we discuss will differ than what some people would consider "normal" in today's MMORPG market.

Zombies Ate My Pizza: Dungeons, Weapon Crafting & PvP Systems Added Posted: 23 Apr 2014 01:14 PM PDT R2Games has announced that a major update has been deployed for Zombies Ate My Pizza. The update includes the addition of PvP systems, weapon crafting and dungeons. The new content is aimed at those players of level thirty and above.

Heroes of the Storm: The Hearthstone of MOBAs Posted: 22 Apr 2014 11:03 PM PDT If you haven't played Heroes before but you have MOBA experience, it's pretty easy to look at some of the things Blizzard is doing with Heroes and say they're dumbing things down to reach an even broader audience. I'll remind you again, the same was said for Hearthstone, and clearly there is more to that story.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Galactic Strongholds Delayed Posted: 23 Apr 2014 12:48 PM PDT Bioware's Bruce Maclean has penned a new Producer's Letter on the Star Wars: The Old Republic site that announces a delay in the release of the Galactic Strongholds expansion. According to the letter, the June early access will be shifted to August to give the team more time to make the expansion "truly feel like an expansion". From there, Maclean lays out some of what the team hopes to accomplish with the extra time.

Fortnite: Monsters Profiled in New Article Posted: 23 Apr 2014 12:32 PM PDT GameInformer.com continues its revelation of all things Fortnight with their latest article. This time around, the team delves into the Fortnight bestiary to profile some of the baddies that players are likely to encounter.

General: Game On #41: Delving Dungeons in Elder Scrolls Online Posted: 23 Apr 2014 12:25 PM PDT This week we're pleased to be joined by Belghast of the Tales of the Aggronaut blog and Aggrochat podcast. Together, we break down how ESO earns its subscription and gives other MMOs a run for their money, especially with an excellent dungeon system. We also discuss SOE's H1Z1, World of Darkness' cancellation, LotRO's new class, and Liore's reflections on the ArcheAge alpha (!!).

Destiny: Site Revamp Reveals Three Character Classes Posted: 23 Apr 2014 12:07 PM PDT The Destiny team is ramping up the information release for the upcoming MMO from Bungie. The official site has been overhauled and now features a metric ton of new information about three of the game's classes: Titan, Warlock and Hunter. Launching the site, fans should select "Choose Your Guardian" to see each of the three before being given some background information and a look at each in action.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: House of Glass #2 Released Posted: 23 Apr 2014 10:45 AM PDT CD Projekt RED has announced that the second in a five part comic series based on The Witcher series has been released. House of Glass #2 sees Geralt facing off against an army of the undead.

EVE Online: Fanfest 2014 to Include Unique Events Posted: 23 Apr 2014 10:40 AM PDT The EVE Online Fanfest 2014 schedule has been released. This year's convention will include several unique events that set it apart as a refreshingly new and exciting event.

Age of Wushu: Tempest of Strife to Release on May 7th Posted: 23 Apr 2014 10:35 AM PDT Snail Games has announced that the Age of Wushu expansion, Tempest of Strife, is scheduled to launch on May 7th. Tempest of Strife includes new features and several new classes. To celebrate the announcement, the Age of Wushu team has released a brand new trailer. See what you think before leaving your thoughts in the comments.

TERA: Rising: Ready to Celebrate Its Sophomore Year Posted: 21 Apr 2014 05:38 PM PDT TERA is turning two this year and is ready to celebrate. We caught up with Producer Patrick Sun to talk about TERA. See what he has to say in this exclusive interview.

The Crew: A True Racing MMORPG Posted: 23 Apr 2014 08:12 AM PDT We only had a brief fifteen minute demo and interview with the dev team (both going on at once) to get a feel for the driving and general overview of The Crew. There are 3rd person and first person driver's seat views, and there's a good chance that Oculus Rift and Sony's own VR will be supported down the line. Racing games, along with FPS titles, are ideal for that kind of headgear, in my eyes. This is one to watch, folks.

Ghost Recon: Phantoms: Attica Heights Map Redesigned & Re-released Posted: 23 Apr 2014 09:04 AM PDT After the successful re-launch of Ghost Recon Online: Phantoms, Ubisoft has announced that the redesigned Attica Heights map has been added to the game.

Elder Scrolls Online: Matt Firor Speaks to the Community Posted: 23 Apr 2014 08:52 AM PDT Matt Firor has taken to the Elder Scrolls Online forum to speak to player concerns. He addresses black market activity, bots and gold spammers, the duping issue and goes into a bit of detail about some of the fixes Zenimax has put into place already.

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