General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


FCC Chairman isn't Buying Verizon's Excuse to Throttle 4G LTE Data for Unlimited Subscribers

Posted: 02 Aug 2014 11:14 AM PDT

Verizon StoreVerizon's decision to throttle data for certain users grandfathered in to the company's older unlimited data plans has drawn the ire of the Federal Communications Commission. In an open letter, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler tells Verizon that he is "deeply troubled" by its recent announcement and finds it "disturbing" that the wireless carrier would try to take advantage of a loophole to bring in more money.

The letter concerns Verizon's announcement earlier this week that it plans to throttle 4G LTE data connections for unlimited subscribers who fall within the top 5 percent of data users. Verizon claims the decision falls within its network optimization policy, but Wheeler believes it's a bogus excuse.

"'Reasonable network management' concerns the technical management of your network; it is not a loophole designed to enhance your revenue streams," Wheeler wrote in an open letter (PDF) to Verizon. "It is disturbing to me that Verizon Wireless could base its 'network management' on distinctions among its customers' data plans, rather than on network architecture or technology."

Wheeler goes on to explain that the FCC considers network management practices to be reasonable if it is appropriate and tailored to achieving a legitimate network management purpose, such as ensuring network security and integrity, addressing traffic that is unwanted by end users, and mitigating network congestion. According to Wheeler, Verizon's decision isn't based on technical management of its network, but designed to increase its revenue stream.

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MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Perfect Ten: Why MMOs need to give up their dragon addiction

Posted: 02 Aug 2014 10:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

falkorrrrrrr
If a genie ever appeared to grant me three wishes, I would not hesitate. I would not be selfish by asking for more wishes or focus on my own well-being. No, I would think of you all when I said, "Mr. Genie, I want you to eliminate all Elves from MMOs, preferably via boiling acid. I want you make all online giant spiders obey the cube law. And I want all developers to be stricken with a specific form of amnesia that will make them forget, now and forever, that dragons are a thing."

You're welcome in advance, online gamers. Yes, I will gladly take up the mantle of your king and protector.

Dragons are not cool. Dragons have never been cool. And yet, for some reason unknown to me, MMO developers lose their collective minds over the fire-breathing lizards. They're not just a trope that infests MMOs to the detriment of original storytelling and world building; they're cheesy villainous centerpieces that devs prop up while deluding themselves that the other couple of thousand MMOs aren't doing the same thing.

MMOs need to give up their dragon addiction, and I am not short on reasons why. I am also so dead serious that dragons need to go that I'm contemplating getting a chest tattoo of one just so that I can laser removal it right off the next day.

Continue reading Perfect Ten: Why MMOs need to give up their dragon addiction

MassivelyPerfect Ten: Why MMOs need to give up their dragon addiction originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Aug 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    WRUP: Every MMO needs a theme restaurant

    Posted: 02 Aug 2014 08:00 AM PDT

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    Welcome back to Massively's What Are You Playing, the game in which we tell you what we're playing this weekend and you tell us which MMO needs a theme cafe more than Final Fantasy XIV. I'm thinking an EVE Online greasy spoon would be a hoot.

    Continue reading WRUP: Every MMO needs a theme restaurant

    MassivelyWRUP: Every MMO needs a theme restaurant originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Aug 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: What's your favorite instant skill?

      Posted: 02 Aug 2014 06:00 AM PDT

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      wildstar
      I am not always a patient man, especially when I'm in the middle of combat. If given a choice, I will avoid channeled and long-cast skills even if the payoff is massive, like shooting a pocket nuke down that mutant frog's throat. I want my skill and I want it now, not four seconds and a progress bar from now.

      So today let's praise and ponder the instant-cast skills, especially your favorite. In WildStar, I love how every class (at least that I've played) has an instant-stun ability that's incredibly useful to stop a big enemy attack in its tracks. I've also been a huge fan of instant-cast DoTs, which is kind of like channeling on the skill's own time instead of mine.

      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!

      MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's your favorite instant skill? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Aug 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Betawatch: July 26 - August 1, 2014

        Posted: 01 Aug 2014 06:00 PM PDT

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        Firefall
        Both Firefall and Swordsman officially launched this week, ending their tenures on the Betawatch list and landing on hard drives everywhere. What else is new in the land of MMO testing? The complete Betawatch roundup follows.

        Continue reading Betawatch: July 26 - August 1, 2014

        MassivelyBetawatch: July 26 - August 1, 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Wizardry Online is now... Wizardry Offline

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 05:00 PM PDT

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          The MMO world mourned Vanguard's sunset yesterday, but as The Ancient Gaming Noob reminded us, Vanguard wasn't the only MMO SOE shuttered in July. Wizardry Online also closed its doors permanently last night, bringing to a end one of the stranger games SOE has published in its long career.

          Over on the official forums, where players have been posting their goodbyes, a player named Dremlock published a video of the game's last moments. We've included it below (start at about 1:29:00 to see the final curtain call).

          Continue reading Wizardry Online is now... Wizardry Offline

          MassivelyWizardry Online is now... Wizardry Offline originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Dawn of the Immortals drops a launch trailer

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 04:00 PM PDT

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          All the waves of things to stomp on that you can imagine.
          If you've been looking forward to Dawn of the Immortals, we've got half of good news for you. The game has launched on the iTunes store for potential players using iPhones or iPads. If you're using an Android device, though, you're going to have to wait just a little bit longer. Halfway to good news, then. But it's still reason enough for the game to put out a launch trailer.

          Dawn of the Immortals sells itself as a fully 3D MMO on your phone or tablet, with an emphasis on action combat and a customizable pet system. If that sounds like something you'd like to carry along with you, jump past the break and check the game out on iTunes.

          Continue reading Dawn of the Immortals drops a launch trailer

          MassivelyDawn of the Immortals drops a launch trailer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Royal Quest begins early access... for a price

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 03:00 PM PDT

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          royal quest
          Royal Quest, an MMO "full of magic, technology, and alchemy," opened the doors to its early access test yesterday. While the game promotes itself as being free-to-play, this only applies starting the second week in August. Before then, anyone interested in checking it out needs to purchase one of the DLC packs.

          Players who hop into the game will be assigned a regional server (out of three available) based on their location. To access the website's comments and forum, players have to level up a character to 5.

          Royal Quest is being developed by Katauri Interactive (King's Bounty) and is only being offered through Steam for English users. Among other options in the game, players can own pets, eventually move into their own castle, and engage in special PvPvE zones in the game.

          [Thanks to Dystopiq for the tip!]

          MassivelyRoyal Quest begins early access... for a price originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Albion Online's houses are more than eye candy

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 02:00 PM PDT

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          albion online
          Looking for a house in the Albion Online neighborhood? There isn't a lot there at the moment, just empty lots and plenty of potential, but the devs are promising that players will find housing indespensible when the game arrives.

          In a new blog post, the team talks about how players will be able to claim a slice of open world land on which to build a lovely villa (or to use for various crafting needs). While housing will fulfill the need of interior decorators, a great deal of thought has been given to make them functional.

          Houses will store wardrobes and chests for extra inventory, provide a respawn point, buff your character via trophies, and give a temporary boost to your hit points and energy. Players may choose from one of three permission levels when it comes to allowing others to visit and even modify the place.

          MassivelyAlbion Online's houses are more than eye candy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          World of Warcraft adds the Alliance motorcycle after all

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 01:00 PM PDT

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          Has no one realized this thing looks like a broken snowmobile yet?
          In a twist that will stun everyone who is easily stunned, it turns out that the Alliance chopper is indeed being added to World of Warcraft with the arrival of Warlords of Draenor. Those of you who watched Azeroth Choppers from start to finish might have been surprised at the whole idea of only one bike design seeing implementation, but odds are you (and pretty much everyone else) saw this coming.

          Worth noting, however, is that the chopper will cost money and will be available only to Alliance players. By contrast, the Horde chopper will be given away for free to players who log in before September 30th. Since it will not be possible for the opposite faction to ride a given chopper, this does mean that the Alliance version will end up being something of a gold sink for Alliance-only players. But, hey, you're getting it in the game; isn't that the important part?

          MassivelyWorld of Warcraft adds the Alliance motorcycle after all originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          EverQuest Next unveils a new lore eBook

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 12:00 PM PDT

          Filed under: , , , ,

          Spot the ridiculous parts of her outfit; we lost count at twelve.
          While Landmark has been the star of the show lately (being in very open and active testing), EverQuest Next is still humming along behind the scenes. A new eBook has just been released for players looking to get a headstart on lore for the game. "From Ash Comes Fire" focuses on twins dealing with the events following the Dragon War, a major conflict detailed in previous eBooks for the game.

          If you're not a dedicated fan the overall importance of the sweep of events might be lost on you, but you can still enjoy the story. It also offers a peek at the formation of the Ashen Order, which will have great importance in the main game's storylines. You can grab the novella now if you're interested.

          MassivelyEverQuest Next unveils a new lore eBook originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Firefall partners with The9, Qihoo 360 in China

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 11:00 AM PDT

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          Firefall finally launched in the West this week. Red 5 also entered into a business agreement with Chinese megapublisher The9 and Qihoo 360 to bring its long-gestating sci-fi shooter to the Far East. The deal will last for three years and will see profits and equity split equally between the The9 and Qihoo 360, according to GamesIndustry.biz.

          [Thanks D Houser!]

          MassivelyFirefall partners with The9, Qihoo 360 in China originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          MMORPG News

          MMORPG News


          Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn: London Fan Fest Tickets Now On Sale

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 03:31 PM PDT

          London Fan Fest Tickets Now On Sale

          Final Fantasy XIV's been this year's come-back kid and Square's celebrating with the first ever Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival. Held in London, England Saturday, October 25th, the event will feature a range of FFXIV-related fun.

          World of Tanks: Wargaming Introduces New Game Mode - Strongholds

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 03:49 PM PDT

          Wargaming Introduces New Game Mode - Strongholds

          This week Wargaming continued to refine World of Tanks with the addition of Strongholds, a game mode that lets clans participate in skirmishes and create virtual bases. It also gives them the chance to earn Industrial Resources and "Orders", a new kind of special bonus.

          Elsword: PvP Addition and New Rena Combat System

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 04:03 PM PDT

          PvP Addition and New Rena Combat System

          The rivalry between Red Knights and Guardian Knights heats up the first two weeks of August as each side tries to occupy Ereda Island. Starting July 30th and ending August 12th, combatants level 40 and above will duke it out for bragging rights, titles jewelry and treasure.

          World of Warcraft: Alliance Chopper Headed Into Game....For a Price

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 11:13 AM PDT

          Alliance Chopper Headed Into Game....For a Price

          Due to "popular demand" the Alliance chopper built for the web series Azeroth Choppers, will be headed into World of Warcraft when Warlords of Draenor launches later this year. Unlike the winning Horde chopper which will be given free to all players logging into the game between now and September 30th, the Alliance chopper will need to be purchased from a vendor and, according to devs, will cost a "pretty hefty sum of gold".

          General: Pillars of Eternity - Making the Old New Again

          Posted: 30 Jul 2014 05:08 PM PDT

          Pillars of Eternity - Making the Old New Again

          If you're an old school RPG fan, this year is likely to go down in your record book. Divinity: Original Sin came out last month and impressed us all with its retro-roots and intense difficulty. Not to be outdone, Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity came out of the gate swinging this week and blew away press with a series of interviews and sneak peeks to leave any CRPG fan salivating. The old is new again.

          Skyforge: Obsidian Details the Classless System

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 11:04 AM PDT

          Obsidian Details the Classless System

          One of the more intriguing features that has been hinted about in Skyforge is the "classless system", an open progression system that allows player to unlock a multitude of classes over time. In addition, the system allows players to, for instance, fulfill missing roles in raids or dungeons on the fly as long as the party is not in combat. Players will gain access to classes and, over time, more advanced classes.

          The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: San Diego Comic Con with CD Projekt Red

          Posted: 01 Aug 2014 10:37 AM PDT

          San Diego Comic Con with CD Projekt Red

          During last weekend's San Diego Comic Con, CD Projekt Red was on hand with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The team took the opportunity to film a great behind-the-scenes look at the convention. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments.

          Firefall: Review in Progress #1

          Posted: 30 Jul 2014 05:01 PM PDT

          Review in Progress #1

          For all intents and purposes, Firefall "launched" in 2013. But a lot has happened at developer Red5 since then, and much more has changed with Firefall the game since the departure of former CEO Mark Kern. For those reasons, we're re-reviewing Firefall over the next couple of weeks to paint a more accurate picture of where the game stands today.

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