General Gaming Article

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• Zotac Unveils the ZBOX Sphere OI520 Mini PC
• Dropbox vs. Western Digital My Cloud
• LG Advertorial: Work Smarter & Faster with an LG UltraWide Display
• Newegg Daily Deals: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB DDR3-1600, Seagate Barracuda 1TB, and More!
• iBuyPower Teams with Gigabyte to Unveil ‘OptiBoost’ Gaming Laptop Configuration Program
• Security Bug in Internet Explorer 8 Still Roams After 7 Months
• Graphics Cards Shipments Down Slightly During Seasonal Lull
• Lian Li's Hybrid Desk Chassis Shipping in July Starting at $989
• AVADirect Adds Supermicro FatTwin 4U Server Solutions for Power Efficient Workloads

Zotac Unveils the ZBOX Sphere OI520 Mini PC Posted: 22 May 2014 05:18 PM PDT A mini-PC with an orb form factor For those looking for a round PC experience, hardware manufacturer Zotac International has unveiled the new ZBOX Sphere OI520 Series. The form for this series of mini PCs is in the shape of a sphere and is powered by the Intel Core i5 4200U processor (1.6 GHZ base, 2.6GHz Turbo).  The ZBOX O-series offers two types for consumers. The OI520 base model comes with Intel HD 4400 graphics but no RAM (there are two DDR3L slots to acommadate up to 16GB of RAM) or hard drive. But not to worry, the ZBOX is supposed to be easy to upgrade. Just twist off the top and insert the necessary components. However, if you don't want to bother with the RAM or HDD the OI520-Plus model will come with 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a 500GB HDD.  In addition, both models have four USB 3.0 ports (located on the back panel), 3 USB 2.0 ports (two on the back, one on the side), one HDMI output, and one DisplayPort.  Both units also have GbE LAN port, Wireless 802.11ac, and Bluetooth 4.0 support.  No price or release date was provided.  What do you think of the ZBOX Sphere? Too circular for your tastes? Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Dropbox vs. Western Digital My Cloud Posted: 22 May 2014 01:10 PM PDT Dropbox vs. Western Digital My Cloud Every power user has hopped on the cloud storage bandwagon because it's awesome having all your files synced to any Internet-connected machine, but there are two problems. First, we have some privacy concerns; second, it's ridiculously expensive. WD's new My Cloud addresses both of these issues by being dirt cheap (by comparison) and by storing all your data on a "personal cloud," also known as a NAS drive. It's time for a clash of the clouds! Dropbox vs Western Digital My Cloud ROUND 1: Cost Dropbox first entices you with 2GB of free storage for signing up. For each friend you convert to Dropbox, you earn an additional 500MB, with a maximum capacity set at 18GB of free storage. If this still does not satisfy your appetite for storage, Dropbox offers 100, 200, and 500GB options with a linear cost progression; for each dollar you pay, you get one gigabyte of storage (yearly). My Cloud blows this model out of the water by starting at $150 for a 2TB drive, so My Cloud offers 13 times the storage capacity per dollar. The My Cloud also lets you add an external USB 3.0 hard drive for even more storage, pushing the dollar-to-gigabyte ratio even further in its favor. My Cloud will also soon offer a 4TB drive, making it by far the least expensive "cloud" backup option available. In this category, the My Cloud wins by a landslide. Winner: My Cloud WD My Cloud is part of the new "personal cloud" movement, i.e, NAS drives that you can easily connect to from anywhere. ROUND 2: Ease of Use Western Digital makes it easy for even the most novice networker to set up and configure his or her own slice of the cloud. You can easily connect to the My Cloud from any computer on the Internet, and uploading and retrieving files is also straightforward. Granting users access and permissions is also streamlined and simple, making it the slickest NAS we've ever tested. It also includes mobile apps, as well. Kudos to My Cloud, but there's good reason why Dropbox has over 175 million users: It's arguably the slickest cloud storage solution available. Configuring Dropbox is painless and uploading files is as easy as dragging-and-dropping into a folder. As soon as you sync files, Dropbox notifies you of any changes to shared files, and sharing is as easy as right-clicking a file and copying the share link. It's a tough call, but we give the win to Dropbox since it provides more info to the end user. Winner: Dropbox ROUND 3: Security My Cloud consists of a single hard disk inside the device, so it does not offer any type of redundancy. WD is planning on adding multi-bay devices with RAID support in the future, but for now it addresses this issue with a feature called Safepoints, which are basically images of the device you can save to a different volume in case of failure. You can save one anytime, and also configure the interval at which future Safepoints are created. Dropbox, on the other hand, is even more secure. It sports Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and 256-AES encryption for data transfers and storage. Files are stored in Dropbox servers all over the world, too, so it's as redundant as a data center. There is even an option for two-step verification, which the My Cloud does not offer. With features like these, it's hard for anyone to wrestle this crown away from Dropbox. Dropbox was the first company to make file sharing easy (in our opinion), but paying $1 per gigabyte hurts. Winner: Dropbox ROUND 4: Performance Since these are both network-attached products, their performance is somewhat dependent on the speed of your network. When copying files to My Cloud we measured impressive 79MB/s read and 62MB/s write speeds. We were able to stream music and movies to remote devices with no issues, but when uploading a file remotely, we experienced speeds no greater than 100KB/s. Dropbox syncs and stores files to your boot drive, but files are sent to Dropbox's servers before syncing to your local storage, so it's at a disadvantage here. What's more, Dropbox automatically throttles itself to 75 percent of the maximum network bandwidth for uploads. On the other hand, we do appreciate that Dropbox allocates even less bandwidth for syncing, so large file transfers don't choke our Internet connection. But ultimately, Dropbox can't compete with local storage when it comes to speed, so this one goes to My Cloud. Winner: My Cloud ROUND 5: Features When logging into the My Cloud desktop app, you are greeted with an easy-to-navigate interface. WD makes it easy to create user accounts, grant share access, and establish Safepoints in the event the drive fails. There are also options to reset the device, back up your iTunes and Dropbox folders, perform system diagnostics, and more. In general, WD's My Cloud offers a comprehensive set of tools for configuring and administering a NAS unit that anyone can use. Dropbox offers selective and LAN syncs, screenshot sharing, bandwidth allocation, options to connect to proxies, and supports a variety of mobile platforms such as iPhone, iPad, Android, and Blackberry. Both services offer desktop and mobile clients along with the ability to share folders with multiple people, but My Cloud is more full-featured. Plus, we like its backup features and diagnostic tools as well, which are just not part of the Dropbox experience.  Winner: My Cloud And the Winner Is… We all love and use Dropbox daily, but as a storage solution for a few hundred gigs or more of data, Western Digital's My Cloud is the victor. Along with its abundant NAS features and configurability, it takes the win by being extremely easy to use, just like Dropbox, but also more affordable and expandable. For a few gigs of files, Dropbox still reigns supreme, but for larger amounts of data, My Cloud is the better option.

LG Advertorial: Work Smarter & Faster with an LG UltraWide Display Posted: 22 May 2014 11:02 AM PDT Say goodbye to bezels with LG's UltraWide monitors   Do you enjoy gaming across multiple monitors? Ever wanted to be free of the intrusive bezel gaps caused by overlapping screens? LG's range of UltraWide monitors promise smooth single-screen gaming at widescreen resolutions, offer a refreshing amount of workspace when you're not busy running fleet assaults in Eve Online, or snatching victory in Dota 2. It turns out games look great at cinematic aspect ratios. LG's 21x9 displays come in a range of sizes, from 25 to 35 inch, boasting IPS screens with healthy viewing angles, and a low latency that'll translate your mouse movements into game action swiftly.    If you're looking for plenty of on-screen real estate, the 34UM95's 3440x1440 resolution represents an excellent super-HD option. For graphic designers and engineers, or anyone who works with computers every day, the monitor's Screen Split technology will let you run multiple applications easily on the same display. It even looks great with the bold interfaces of Windows 8 and Steam's Big Picture mode. LG has earned a reputation for producing powerful, vivid screens, recently winning at the Technical Image Press Association Awards 2014. There the LG 34UM95 scooped the "Best Photo Monitor" gong for its robust colour reproduction and deep, accurate colours. The same technology will bring out the best in the PC's most beautiful games. Expect the electric blue oceans of Assassin's Creed 4 to look even more vibrant.   You'll get plenty of width for your buck across LG's range of smaller HD UltraWide monitors, too. The 29UM65 provides a good 29-inch alternative, and for those looking for something a little more petite, there's a 25 inch choice in the 25UM65. Both run 8-bit screens for quick and crisp visuals and accurate color reproduction. In addition, the 2560x1080 resolution won't put much extra strain on your graphics card, if you're switching up from a 1920x1080 screen. Beyond gaming, you'll find plenty of useful utilities that'll make everyday use easier. All of LG's UltraWide monitors work with Dual Linkup, which lets you share the screen between two devices—ideal for expert multitaskers. Reader Mode eliminates uncomfortable blue tones to allow for long reading sessions that are easy on the eyes. A competitive range of ports makes the UltraWide a flexible series, too. Each edition features a pair of HDMI ports, headphone sockets and, in the big 34UM95, a USB 3.0 slot. As you'd expect, movies look great. That 21x9 ratio will let you watch your favorite films with no black bars. More and more games are offering flexible resolution settings, and multi-monitor support. The LG UltraWide offers greater gaming immersion, and provides a spacious workspace between gaming sessions. Find out more about the UltraWide range on LG's site.

Newegg Daily Deals: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB DDR3-1600, Seagate Barracuda 1TB, and More! Posted: 22 May 2014 10:35 AM PDT Top Deal: Some kids grow up wanting a pony, others pester their parents for a dog or fish. So what happens? We all ended up with cats, and now the Internet is filled with various cat-themed memes. That's okay -- we love cats, and we love many of the memes. But what we really wanted growing up was RAM! And lots of it! "Where would we even buy a RAM?," our parents would ask. "At CompUSA!," we'd reply, only to be ignored afterwards. Well, now that we're adults, we can own as much RAM as we want. And what better time with prices being having plummeted over the last decade or so! For example, look at today's top deal for a G.Skill 16GB (2x8GB) Ripjaws X Series DDR3-1600 RAM Kit for $141 with free shipping (normally $165 - use coupon code: [EMCPEHH25]). The only thing you need to feed it is data! Other Deals: Western Digital Elements 1TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive for $60 with free shipping (normally $70 - use coupon code: [EMCPEHW52]) Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120G 2.5-inch 120GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive for $60 with free shipping Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for $55 with free shipping (normally $65 - use coupon code: [EMCPEHH23]) Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro - 64-bit for $125 with free shipping (normally $140 - use coupon code: [EMCPEHH52])

iBuyPower Teams with Gigabyte to Unveil ‘OptiBoost’ Gaming Laptop Configuration Program Posted: 22 May 2014 10:21 AM PDT Customize a gaming laptop just like you would a desktop Boutique builder iBuyPower is introducing OptiBoost, a fancy name for a customization program that will offer many of the same configuration options when shopping for a gaming laptop as you'll find when customizing a desktop PC. iBuyPower isn't really breaking new ground here, but presumably you'll have more options to choose from than when typically shopping a laptop PC. And to kick things off, iBuyPower will offer its OptiBoost program on select Gigabyte gaming notebooks. "This is going to be a game changer. As customers know more, they also demand more. And when you're serious about performance, you want to have things done your way. That's the whole idea behind OptiBoost," said Darren Su, Vice President of iBuyPower. Game changer or not, you'll be able to customize the core components of your laptop, including the processor, graphics card, SSD and/or HDD, and more. "Gigabyte is excited about cooperating with iBuyPower on this new OptiBoost program," said Vincent Liu, sales director at Gigabyte notebook division. "Combining our leading edge gaming notebooks with the configurability and flexibility of the OptiBoost program will allow users to not only build a truly bespoke notebook, but to have exactly the system they need." Initially the OptiBoost program will apply to Gigabyte's Ultraforce line of notebooks, namely the P3a4Gv2, P35Gv2, and P35Wv2, though iBuyPower says it will be expanding quickly. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Security Bug in Internet Explorer 8 Still Roams After 7 Months Posted: 22 May 2014 09:43 AM PDT Will Microsoft ever bother to squash this security bug? There's a zero-day security flaw in Internet Explorer that's been known for at least the last 7 months, yet Microsoft has yet to release a patch. Perhaps it never will -- after all, IE8 is the last version of Microsoft's browser to support Windows XP, which itself is now an unsupported operating system. Alternately, Microsoft might just be having a really tough time with this one -- the Redmond outfit doesn't have a whole lot to say on the matter. According to Zero Day Initiative, the vulnerability allows remote hackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations. The exploit requires user interaction, in that the target has to first visit a malicious website or open up a malicious file. In either case, it could spell bad news for the victim. So, what's going on with Microsoft? "We build and thoroughly test every security fix as quickly as possible. Some fixes are more complex than others, and we must test every one against a huge number of programs, applications, and different configurations," a Microsoft spokesperson told CNET. Understood, though a recent zero-day bug discovered in multiple versions of IE shortly after support for XP ended was patched by an out-of-cycle update in less than a week after its discovery. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Graphics Cards Shipments Down Slightly During Seasonal Lull Posted: 22 May 2014 09:14 AM PDT Add-in board graphics is mostly a two horse race Market research firm Jon Peddie Research (JPR) said the decline in add-in graphics boards (disrete graphics cards, in other words, as opposed to integrated GPUs) during the first quarter of 2014 was "disappointing, but seasonally understandable." On a sequential basis, AIB shipments dropped 6.7 percent, though on a year-to-year basis, they're only down 0.8 percent, compared to desktop PCs as a whole, which declined 1.1 percent. The attach rate of AIBs to desktop PCs has fallen sharply over the last several years, dropping from 63 percent in Q1 2008 to 45 percent in Q1 2014. That's not surprising when you consider that both Intel and AMD include integrated graphics on their processors these days. In addition, the attach rate is actually up compared to last quarter, when it was 43.8 percent. According to JPR, Nvidia's share of the AIB market is now 65 percent, up a tick from 64.9 percent last quarter and 64.2 percent a year ago. Meanwhile, AMD's share is holding steady at 35 percent, the same as it was last quarter and down a smidgendd from 35.6 percent a year ago. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Lian Li's Hybrid Desk Chassis Shipping in July Starting at $989 Posted: 22 May 2014 08:48 AM PDT Is it a desk or a computer case? It's both! Lian Li teased a prototype computer case that doubles as desk back in January of this year. At the time, the company wasn't sure if the design would move past the prototype phase and become an actual product, but apparently a decision has been made. Lian Li announced today that it will begin shipping two versions of its computer desk -- DK-01X and DK-02X -- in the U.S. this July starting at $989. One is a single-system enclosure (DK-01X) and the other is a dual-system chassis (DK-02X). Both are constructed of aluminum and sport an all-black design. There's a lockable sliding door to make installing and upgrading hardware easy, along with an adjustable and removable keyboard tray. You'll also find a side-mounted pocket with headphone rack for storing unused accessories. There's plenty of space in each configuration with support for motherboards up to HPTX for both models, plus support for mini-ITX motherboards on the gaming oriented side of the DK-02X. Both support liquid cooling and can accommodate 360mm radiators on the side, along with removable brackets on the front -- the DK-01x has a 360mm bracket and the DK-02X has two 240mm brackets. Other options include support for up to 10 removable hard drives on the DK-01X and 17 HDD bays on the DK-02X (8 for the smaller system and 9 for the larger system), CPU coolers up to 7 inches in height, power supplies up to 11 inches in length, and graphics cards up to 16.5 inches in length. The DK-01X will sell for $989 and the DK-02X will go for $1,189. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

AVADirect Adds Supermicro FatTwin 4U Server Solutions for Power Efficient Workloads Posted: 22 May 2014 08:18 AM PDT Supports dedicated GPUs for added horsepower AVADirect, the boutique system builder based in Ohio, is now offering Supermicro FatTwin 4U server solutions with up to Intel Octa-Xeon processing and dedicated GPU options. The FatTwin uses a four-blade form factor that can be stuffed with high-end hardware, depending on what you're trying to accomplish. According to AVADirect, the FatTwin is adept at a number of different tasks, including complex calculations, video rendering, 3D modeling, simulation, multi-virtual machine environments, hosting, and more. You'd be hard pressed to fill a FatTwin to the brim, both from a cost standpoint and from a needs standpoint. To wit, each node contains 16 DIMM slots that support 32GB modules up to 1866MHz; if you want to push 1TB of RAM, you'll need to use LRDIMMs, AVADirect says. Each node also supports two Socekt 2011 Xeon processors, two 3.5-inch hot-swappable SAS drives, three double-wide PCI-Express 16x 3.0 expansion slots (plus two additional PCI-E 8x 3.0 slots), dual 10GBase-T, two USB 2.0 ports, and a shared 1620W high-efficiency power supply. You can build your own now starting at around $10,100 (or simply window shop). Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

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MMO Updates

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• Norrathian Notebook: The key differences between EverQuest Next and Landmark
• Elite's new progress vid demonstrates scale, stimulates imagination
• Black Desert might have a PvE ruleset, separate F2P and P2P servers
• ESO's Sage talks justice system and new guilds, 'no firm plans' for housing [Updated]
• WildStar gears up for launch with ginormous beta patch
• The Daily Grind: Are you wary of patch days?
• MechWarrior Online introduces new Champion and Hero mechs
• The Stream Team: Arson and other ArcheAge alpha adventures
• SOE adds implants to PlanetSide 2
• DayZ gives zombies a hand crossing the street
• Perfect World's Arc expanding to include Path of Exile and APB
• A video preview of Guild Wars 2's brand-new character faces
• ZeniMax Media formally files suit against Oculus
• Choose My Adventure: Week three in Defiance
• Leaderboard: Do you make unique character names?
• Destiny opens pre-orders and pre-loading

Norrathian Notebook: The key differences between EverQuest Next and Landmark Posted: 22 May 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game Mechanics, New Titles, Free-to-Play, Guides, EverQuest Next, Player-Generated Content, Norrathian Notebook, Landmark What's the difference between EverQuest Next and Landmark? If we've heard that question once, we've heard it a thousand times, which is understandable, considering EQ Next has been totally scrapped and re-imagined more than once and Landmark came literally out of nowhere. Until recently, the two even shared a name; EverQuest Next was dropped from Landmark's moniker when closed beta started at the end of March of this year. We certainly haven't heard the last of the question, either. With new folks finding out about the games and getting interested in them, it's likely to come up a few more times. Those who haven't been following the development of the games from the beginning have a lot of material to plow through to find answers to their questions. For that reason, Norrathian Notebook is going to address the differences and similarities between the upcoming titles in one fell swoop. Hopefully, with a concise reference we can call on again and again, the confusion will dissipate. So what is the difference between EQN and Landmark? Continue reading Norrathian Notebook: The key differences between EverQuest Next and Landmark Norrathian Notebook: The key differences between EverQuest Next and Landmark originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Elite's new progress vid demonstrates scale, stimulates imagination Posted: 22 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Elite: Dangerous, Buy-to-Play Frontier's twelfth progress diary video for Elite: Dangerous has been released. The six-minute clip focuses on Alpha 4 and features Frontier boss David Braben offering hearty thanks to backers whom he says have been crucial to design discussions on topics like the new supercruise travel system. If you haven't seen any footage of Elite's galactic map yet, the video is worth a look, as it shows a zoom down from the Milky Way to a single star. Braben says that this scale is also apparent as you're crossing systems or watching one of the game's gas giants grow from a spec in the distance to a view-blocking monstrosity. The massive scale is "only a backdrop for the game, but it really appeals to me," Braben explains. "This or something very like it is really out there, whether it's the rings of Saturn or some gas giant that we've only seen as a blip on some graph." Click past the cut for the full clip. [Thanks Cosmos and Cotic!] Continue reading Elite's new progress vid demonstrates scale, stimulates imagination Elite's new progress vid demonstrates scale, stimulates imagination originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

Black Desert might have a PvE ruleset, separate F2P and P2P servers Posted: 22 May 2014 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Sandbox, Black Desert Black Desert has found a Russian publisher, and while that news may seem like a tease to Western fans of the full-featured fantasy sandbox, there's a potential silver lining. 2P reports that the game may have separate F2P and P2P servers as well as PvE-only rulesets that disable open-world PvP in favor of arena matches, guild wars, and sieges. The site also mentions that Black Desert's Russian cash shop will be limited to cosmetic items, there will be no IP blocking, and there will be no dungeons (only open-world bosses). Finally, the site says the Russian alpha will happen in December 2014 with a closed beta to follow in January. Korea-based developer Pearl Abyss is actively shopping for a North American Black Desert publisher. [Thanks tandarighttanon!] Black Desert might have a PvE ruleset, separate F2P and P2P servers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2014 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: 2P

ESO's Sage talks justice system and new guilds, 'no firm plans' for housing [Updated] Posted: 22 May 2014 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, Interviews, MMO Industry, Patches, News Items, PvE, The Elder Scrolls Online, Housing, Subscription Now that Elder Scrolls Online's Craglorn is here, ZeniMax is turning its attention to the game's delayed console release as well as future content updates. Creative director Paul Sage told IGN that players will likely see ESO's justice system prior to the introduction of the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood, though there is no date for either set of features just yet. As for player housing, it's on the back burner. "I will tell you that when we get to player housing, and I think it's one of those things that when you have a game that's been running a long time it's one of those things you want to get to, it has to be something that's done differently and done well," Sage said. "That's about all I can tell you. We have no firm plans for anything on housing at this time." [Update]: Here are today's Craglorn patch notes! ESO's Sage talks justice system and new guilds, 'no firm plans' for housing [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: IGN

WildStar gears up for launch with ginormous beta patch Posted: 22 May 2014 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, New Titles, Patches, WildStar As WildStar approaches its June 3rd release date (and pre-order head-start on May 31st), the dev team at Carbine is ramping up the bug fixes and game updates to make the launch as smooth as possible. This latest beta patch, released yesterday, is no exception to the rule. We have fixes to the launcher, enemy mobs, character creation, guilds, items, classes and more in this update. In fact, the patch notes are so lengthy, they span two forum posts! You can check out the complete notes on the official forum. WildStar gears up for launch with ginormous beta patch originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Patch Notes

The Daily Grind: Are you wary of patch days? Posted: 22 May 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, Patches, PvE, The Daily Grind, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription The Craglorn patch is coming to Elder Scrolls Online today, and guess what else is coming with it? No, really, go ahead and guess. Because I don't know, you don't know, and basically no one outside of the dev team knows what sorts of stealthy nerfs, buffs, tweaks, and other assorted changes will be slipped into the game's first major content offering. Personally I'm nearing 50 on my Nightblade and greatly enjoying it, so I'd not like to see much of anything happen to the class from a PvE perspective. What about you, Massively readers? Do you dread patch days for the tweaks they often introduce, or do you roll with the bit of wisdom that says changes aren't permanent but change is? 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: Are you wary of patch days? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

MechWarrior Online introduces new Champion and Hero mechs Posted: 21 May 2014 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, Patches, Free-to-Play, MechWarrior Online MechWarrior Online has introduced two new mechs this week: the Firestarter Champion Mech and the Loup de Guerre Hero Mech. The Firestarter sports five medium lasers, twin AMS, and jump kets, while the Loup de Guerre trebuchet features jump jets that allow it to leap over walls, medium pulse lasers, SSRMs, and more. Both mechs are now available in the MWO store, and you can check out the Loup de Guerre in action via the video embedded after the cut. Continue reading MechWarrior Online introduces new Champion and Hero mechs MechWarrior Online introduces new Champion and Hero mechs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Loup de Guerre, Firestarter

The Stream Team: Arson and other ArcheAge alpha adventures Posted: 21 May 2014 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Free-to-Play, Livestream, ArcheAge, The Stream Team There's nothing quite like running up to a boss three times your level in ArcheAge and slapping it upside the head with a fireball. Of course, to have any hope of living, you have to be a very fast runner, as Massively's MJ showed during her last adventures. She really just can't help herself; she can't pass up an opportunity to set things on fire. Luckily, she's also added that healing line to help out when she (or a poor unsuspecting groupmate) is not quite as fast as needed. Now the question is this: What will she find to set on fire this week? Join us live at 8:00 p.m for more fiery alpha adventures with MJ's feisty Firran. Game: ArcheAge Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Wednesday, May 21st, 2014 Time: 8:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Arson and other ArcheAge alpha adventures The Stream Team: Arson and other ArcheAge alpha adventures originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

SOE adds implants to PlanetSide 2 Posted: 21 May 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2 SOE has added implants to PlanetSide 2, and the firm's latest press release says that implants allow players to "make additional strategic loadout choices to better handle various situations they come across in game." Implants have three tiers, and everyone gets a low-level Tier 1 enhanced targeting unlock for free. Additional implants can be obtained via gameplay drops and progression or purchased in PS2's cash shop. [Source: SOE press release] Continue reading SOE adds implants to PlanetSide 2 SOE adds implants to PlanetSide 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

DayZ gives zombies a hand crossing the street Posted: 21 May 2014 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Horror, MMOFPS, Dev Diaries, Buy-to-Play Poor zombies. All they want to do is eat a little brains and earn your respect, just like anyone else, but that's hard to do when they're walking into walls and clipping badly into a dumpster. Fortunately for our undead brothers and sisters, the devs on DayZ have figured out a good solution to problematic pathfinding. "Our problem was not unique, but our situation was: our world is very big yet it requires the same precision as a small one," the devs wrote in a blog post. "The team devoted to solving this decided to use navigation meshes. The serious problem it presented, though, was how to generate these meshes. With nearly two million objects on the map, doing it by hand would not be an option. So a method was devised to split the world up into grids, and then raycast at a precise interval and generate chunks of navmesh." The result? Zombies that can figure out how to cross a street and go into a building without embarassing themselves. The team also talked about some of the livestock it's creating for the game, including carp to be fished out of ponds by survivors. DayZ gives zombies a hand crossing the street originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Zombie pathfinding

Perfect World's Arc expanding to include Path of Exile and APB Posted: 21 May 2014 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play, All Points Bulletin, Path of Exile Perfect World is making a strong play to establish Arc as a vital digital platform for gamers. The company announced today that Arc will be expanding to include several titles outside of the PWE brotherhood, including Path of Exile and APB: Reloaded. The announcement of Arc's embrace of third-party developers comes with the platform's transition to "fully live" status. PWE CEO Alan Chen hopes that this will make Arc a one-stop gaming experience: "Our goal is to make Arc the premiere destination for the best free-to-play online games for both our players and partners, and to achieve this by growing the platform with new games, a constant stream of content, and features specifically designed for the PC gaming audience." Perfect World's Arc expanding to include Path of Exile and APB originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Press Release

A video preview of Guild Wars 2's brand-new character faces Posted: 21 May 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Business Models, Patches, Previews, News Items, Guild Wars 2, Races, Buy-to-Play As part of yesterday's Festival of the Four Winds patch, ArenaNet updated Guild Wars 2 with a slew of new face options, three new faces for each race and gender. The faces are available in the Total Makeover Kit purchaseable in the cash shop. Friend of Massively Richie "Bogotter" Procopio has uploaded a video to his YouTube channel previewing all of the new faces so you can see whether it's worth shelling out for the freckles and rhinoplasty of your dreams. Enjoy it below! Continue reading A video preview of Guild Wars 2's brand-new character faces A video preview of Guild Wars 2's brand-new character faces originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Bogotter's YouTube

ZeniMax Media formally files suit against Oculus Posted: 21 May 2014 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Legal, Miscellaneous, Crowdfunding Polygon reports that it has obtained a copy of the court filing showing that ZeniMax Media, familiar to MMO players as the parent company of The Elder Scrolls Online's ZeniMax Online Studios, has sued Oculus VR for misappropriation and commercial exploitation of "copyrighted code, trade secrets, and 'technical know-how'" in relation to Oculus' virtual reality tech. ZeniMax Media earlier this month accused Oculus (by way of developer John Carmack) of using and exploiting "ZeniMax's technology and intellectual property without authorization, compensation or credit to ZeniMax." Oculus and Carmack strongly denied those claims. ZeniMax Media formally files suit against Oculus originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Polygon

Choose My Adventure: Week three in Defiance Posted: 21 May 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Screenshots, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, MMOFPS, Choose My Adventure, Defiance In this third week with Trion World's Defiance, our adventure continues with my Irathient Outlaw as she just surpasses the 600 EGO level threshhold. Considering the fact that this is already higher than I got my original main character from launch, you can tell I'm having fun. As voted upon last week, I've been trying out a bit of everything I could get my hands on, from Incursions to Arkfalls and the main storyline to random side quests. Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Week three in Defiance Choose My Adventure: Week three in Defiance originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Leaderboard: Do you make unique character names? Posted: 21 May 2014 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Culture, MMO Industry, New Titles, Opinion, WildStar, Leaderboard WildStar's first real brouhaha centered around character names. More specifically, there was some concern about losing a favorite name due to Carbine's reservation system snafu. I watched all this from the sidelines with a bewildered expression on my face because I tend to roll with unique names. Ergo, there's no reason to fret about someone "stealing" Pat McGroin, Legolass25, or InsertGameOfThronesCharacterHere. What about you, Massively readers? Do you make unique names for your MMO avatars? If not, do you use the same name in multiple games or a name based on a popular character character? Vote after 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 make unique character names? Leaderboard: Do you make unique character names? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Destiny opens pre-orders and pre-loading Posted: 21 May 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Launches, New Titles, News Items, Consoles, MMOFPS, Destiny, Buy-to-Play Looking forward to getting into Destiny when it launches on September 9th? Then go ahead and pre-order it on your PlayStation 4, and you'll be able to pre-load the game before launch. No, really; Destiny is the first title on the PS4 to support pre-loading, allowing you to have the game installed and ready to play once the launch happens. It's in the PlayStation Store on both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 as of today. Players who pre-order the title will also have access to the game's beta once it starts up in July. Theyll need to also sign up at Bungie.net and link their PSN ID to keep informed about the beta and be eligible for participation. Keep your eyes peeled for more news as we approach the start of beta. Destiny opens pre-orders and pre-loading originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: PlayStation Store Via: Polygon

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