General Gaming Article

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• FCC Votes to Consider Paid Priority on the Internet
• How to Get the Most Out of VLC Media Player
• AMD Gets a Handle on Production, Pricing for Radeon R9 Graphics Cards No Longer Inflated
• Trendnet Embraces Open Source DD-WRT Firmware for Select Wireless AC Routers
• BitFenix Neos Brings Color to the Budget Market
• Game of Thrones Author Writes Books on an Offline DOS Machine
• Newegg Daily Deals: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 Graphics Card, Corsair HX650 PSU, and More!

FCC Votes to Consider Paid Priority on the Internet Posted: 15 May 2014 05:36 PM PDT "Fast Lanes" proposal open for discussion The Federal Communications Commission has voted in favor to release the "fast lanes" proposal, and open it up for public comment, that would allow ISP providers, such as Comcast, to charge web sites, for example Netflix, an additional fee to prioritize traffic. The plan was approved Thursday in a three-to-two vote to open up debate on the proposed changes to the net neutrality rules.  Prior to the vote, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said, "I strongly support an open, fast, and robust internet. This agency supports an open internet. There is one Internet. Not a fast internet, not a slow internet; one internet." While Wheeler talked about an open internet, it appears he seems determined to go through with the proposal that many believe is a threat to the internet's openness as he continued, "Nothing in this proposal authorizes paid prioritization despite what has been incorrectly stated today. The potential for there to be some kind of a fast lane available to only a few has many people concerned. Personally, I don't like the idea that the Internet could be divided into haves and have-nots and I will work to see that that does not happen. In this item we have specifically asked whether and how to prevent the kind of paid prioritization that could result in fast lanes." Opposition to the "fast lanes" proposal has been loud and numerous since it was revealed back in April with thousands of emails being sent, petitions started, and concerned citizens camping outside the building trying to get their message across. Web host NeoCities even went so far as to throttle the FCC's internet connection to its website down to dial-up speeds. The plan is not a final ruling and will be open for the public to leave their comments up until September 10 so that the FCC can hear the arguments for and against it.  Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

How to Get the Most Out of VLC Media Player Posted: 15 May 2014 10:32 AM PDT A few awesome VLC tricks you may not know about For most video-watching aficionados, VLC is an essential piece of software. The open-source app is well known for being a fantastic movie and music player, but there are a few clever tricks that can help you get a lot more out of the media player. We gathered seven fun and useful VLC features, that will help you get the most out of the media player. Taking a screenshot: You can take a screenshot with VLC by right clicking on the movie you are watching, then go to the Video Tab, at the bottom of the menu will be a Take Snapshot button, which you can click to take a shot of your current screen.  By default, the screen cap will be saved to your My Documents' Pictures library. Re-skin VLC to make it look more modern: VLC is a great media player, arguably the best, but why not spice up its looks a little with some skins? Here's how you can re-skin VLC. Step 1: Click on the Tools tab, then click on Preferences.  Step 2: Once you click on the Preferences tab, this window will show up. Click on the "use custom skin" button then the VLC skins website hyperlink to go to the download page for getting custom VLC skins.  Step 3: This is what the website should look like. We decided to download all the skins at once by clicking on the Download all the skins here hyperlink (It is a 37MB file).  Step 4: After you download the skins and unzip them, choose which skin you want by clicking on the Choose… button. After you do this, click save and restart VLC. Step 5: You will need to restart VLC to load your new skin. Once you've re-launched it, the software should look like the skin you chose to change it too.  Set your movie as your wallpaper: This feature might not be particularly useful, but there aren't many media players which let you use a running movie as your desktop background.  To set your movie as your wallpaper, right click on the movie and then go to the Video tab and click on Set as Wallpaper.  The end result will look something like this:  Rip a movie: Want to rip a movie so that you can play your DVD media on other devices? Here's how you can do it: Step 1: First click on Media, then click on Convert/Save… Step 2: This window will show up next. Click on the Disc tab, then click on Convert/Save. Step 3: This window will appear next, and you can start ripping the movie by clicking on the Start button. The Profile menu will let you select the video output file location you would like the video to be ripped to. If you wish to change where the file is saved to, click on the Browse bar.  Play a movie in ASCII mode: Have a desire to play your video file in those funny retro ASCII characters for whatever reason? Well, there just happens to be an ASCII mode! Here's how you enable it: Step 1: First click on the Tools tab and then click on Preferences.  Step 2: In the Preferences menu click on Video, then click on the Output Selection drop-down menu and select Color ASCII art video output. Once you've selected this, click the Start button to save the selection.  Step 3: Re-launch VLC for the changes to take effect and play a movie. The movie will look like the two images below.  ASCII: Image  Download Podcasts using VLC's Playlist Manager: Did you know that you can use VLC's playlist manager as an RSS Feeder to download your favorite podcasts? Here's how you can do it! Step 1: Click on the View tab and then click on Playlist. Step 2: Scroll down the playlist menu and click on the + button to add a podcast to VLC media player. Step 3: Copy in the URL to the podcast's RSS Feeder, then click OK. For reference, Maximum PC's RSS Feeder URL is http://feeds.feedburner.com/maximumpc/1337 *wink*.  Step 4: The podcast will then show up in VLC like this, and you can begin downloading your favorite podcast episodes. Convert Music and Video files to different file types: Step 1: Click on the Media tab and click on Convert / Save… Step 2: Click on the Add… button and select which media file you would like to convert. At the bottom of the page select Convert from the drop-down located at the bottom of the window.  Step 3: This window will now show up. Under the profile section you can choose what file type you'd like to convert your audio or video file to. Once you have your desired format, click on the Start button and the conversion process will begin. Well, that about wraps up our VLC guide. Know of any other useful features in VLC? Let us know in the comments below!

AMD Gets a Handle on Production, Pricing for Radeon R9 Graphics Cards No Longer Inflated Posted: 15 May 2014 09:47 AM PDT It's time to go GPU shopping again Have you put off upgrading your graphics card because you're interested in AMD's R9 series but didn't like the inflated price points (compared to MSRP)? Well, good news, folks -- apparently that's no longer going to be a concern. AMD is reportedly putting the word out that its entire line of R9 video cards is available, in stock, and with street prices back down to where they should be. The news comes from Forbes, which says it received the communication direct from AMD's headquarters in a "very carefully" worded manner so as not to come right out and blame the shortage of parts (and subsequent price hikes) on virtual coin mining. However, it's no secret virtual coin mining is the root cause -- AMD's newest GPUs are simply better than Nvidia's at mining cryptocurrencies like Litecoin and Dogecoin, and miners were quick to gobble up inventory. Regardless, R9 cards are now back in stock and priced appropriately. For example, one of the lowest priced Radeon R9 270 graphics cards on Newegg currently is the PowerColor model that sells for $170 (and comes with two games). Much higher on the totem pole is a Sapphire Radeon R9 290X graphics card for $522 shipped -- it comes with three games. In any event, if it's been some time since you last checked AMD GPU pricing, give it a look -- you might be surprised. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Trendnet Embraces Open Source DD-WRT Firmware for Select Wireless AC Routers Posted: 15 May 2014 08:56 AM PDT You can now install third-party DD-WRT firmware on certain Trendent AC routers We don't know if a war is brewing between Trendnet and Linksys, but like the latter's WRT1900AC router, Trendnet today announced open source DD-WRT firmware compatibility for its high performance TEW-818DRU (v1.0), TEW-821DRU (v2.0)l, and TEW-811DRU (v1.0) Wireless-AC routers. This is pretty big news for networking gurus who like to tinker but are other otherwise bound by their router's stock firmware. Zak Wood, director of global marketing for Trendnet, said the decision to support DD-WRT was the result of customer feedback. Third-party firmware is favored by enthusiasts because it grants access to controls that might otherwise be locked down, such as modifying wireless radio power (strong signals can increase range, but comes at the expense of reliability), choosing from a wider DDNS service support list, setup VLANs for wired ports, more fine grain control over QoS settings, and more. Tread carefully, networking Jedis. Trendnet is upfront about the fact that installing open source DD-WRT firmware immediately voids the router's warranty. If you don't know what you're doing, you can brick a router with third-party firmware, or even fry it by boosting signals to the point where the router begins to overheat. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

BitFenix Neos Brings Color to the Budget Market Posted: 15 May 2014 08:34 AM PDT A value minded case line that comes in four color options Looking to express yourself with your PC? Maybe you just want to run with a color theme. Either way, BitFenix's new Neos case line gives budget buyers several color options, along with uncluttered styling, upgradeability, and an "affordable" price tag. Buyers also have the choice of picking up a Neos with or without a side panel window -- both versions come with a colored mesh front panel available in black, blue, red, or silver. "Of course, the mesh itself is not merely cosmetic. A closer look reveals extra-large holes that allow for unencumbered airflow to system components. At the same time, this mesh design allows the negative space behind it to actually become a part of the overall design, providing a subtle yet appealing design element to the case," BitFenix says. Other features include USB 3.0 support, tool-less hard disk and optical drive installation, support for 2.5-inch SSDs, dust filters, and compatibility with graphics cards up to 30 centimeters long. Two included 120mm fans on the windowed version handle cooling duties, and there's room for a third 120mm fan as well. The non-window version comes with a single 120mm fan. You'll notice in the video above that several references are made to the Neos being a "reasonably priced case." Unfortunately, BitFenix didn't include the MSRP(s) in its press release. We've reached out to BitFenix for information on how much these cases will cost and will update when we hear back. The BitFenix Neo with window and without window will both be available soon. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Game of Thrones Author Writes Books on an Offline DOS Machine Posted: 15 May 2014 07:43 AM PDT George R.R. Martin kicks it old school Ah, the days of DOS. It was a bit of a dark age compared to the enlightened Windows era, but if you think the days of DOS are dead, think again. Perhaps you've heard of a little HBO Original called Game of Thrones. The highly popular drama series is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of epic fantasy novels written by George R. R. Martin. He began writing the series in 1991 using an offline DOS machine, and remarkably, he still uses it today. Martin referred to his DOS box as his "secret weapon" against malware attacks during an interview with late night TV host Conan O'Brien. It doesn't have an Internet connection, and Martin uses WordStar 4.0, a word processing program from the 1980s, to write his novels, which can be over 1,000 pages long. Talk about old school! Another bonus outside of not having to worry about a malware infection destroying his work is the lack of spell check, especially when dealing with made up terms in the fantasy realm. Martin also has a second, more modern computer that he uses to browse the web and fire off emails. However, his novels are all written on something much older. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 Graphics Card, Corsair HX650 PSU, and More! Posted: 15 May 2014 06:52 AM PDT Top Deal: Between Steam and GOG and Humble Bundle, you could stack your pile of games from here to the moon and back several times over if they still shipped in VHS-sized boxes like they used to back in the day. "I'll play them when I get a new GPU," you keep promising yourself, not wanting to waste your first impression of a title using integrated graphics. Ready to get gaming? Then check out today's top deal for an EVGA GeForce GTX 770 FTW Graphics Card w/ ACX Cooler for $380 with free shipping (normally $430 - use coupon code: [EMCYTZG325]; additional $20 mail-in-rebate). This is a fast card with a custom cooling solution that performs better and runs quieter than stock. And for a limited time, you can score Watch Dogs for free with purchase. Other Deals: Samsung SD360 White High Glossy ToC 27-inch 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor for $210 with free shipping (normally $230 - use coupon code: [EMCPEWG28]) Seagate NAS HDD 2TB 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive for $90 with free shipping (normally $100 - use coupon code: [EMCYTZG296]) Corsair HX series HX650 650W ATX12V 2.91 80 Plus Gold Certified Power Supply for $75 with free shipping (normally $110 - use coupon code: [EMCYTZG322]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate) G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB 240-Pin DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory for $72 with free shipping (normally $80 - use coupon code: [EMCPEWG65])

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MMO Updates

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• Chaos Theory: The Secret World's Whispering Tide and Tokyo
• Auto Club Revolution 2.0 closed beta starts June 16
• Double rift fragments and your chance to find legendaries in Diablo III this week
• The Daily Grind: Would you like more client-side customization options?
• Tree of Savior gets an English dev blog
• The Stream Team: A Firran Sorcerer is on the loose in ArcheAge
• Catch a glimpse of Shards Online in its first-ever livestream tonight
• MapleStory's Legacy of Nine update marks anniversary
• Leaderboard: Are you raiding in WildStar?
• Wizards of the Coast accuses MMOTCG HEX of copyright infringement
• City of Steam teases patch 2.6 improvements
• Elder Scrolls Online gets another third-party auction house
• WildStar raid dev: 'Our raids are the best blend of challenging and fun'
• Dungeon Fighter Online returns from the dead
• Compensation planned for WildStar's name reservation failures
• Choose My Adventure: Starting out again in Defiance
• Origins of Malu back on Kickstarter, aiming to release 'within the next few months'
• Ambitious new sandbox MMO The Far Reaches hits Kickstarter

Chaos Theory: The Secret World's Whispering Tide and Tokyo Posted: 15 May 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Opinion, The Secret World, Chaos Theory, Buy-to-Play Let's hear it for the encore! If you missed any step of the The Secret World's first long-term (and by long, I mean like The Great Wall of China long) event, you've been granted a second chance. Before The Whispering Tide rolls out for good and Tokyo finally arrives, all phases of the event will be temporarily available for players to experience. Starting last week with the gathering phases and moving to the instanced phases this week, players have the opportunity to snag missing lore and check off achievements, ultimately earning the crowning piece of the bee suit: the helm. This was definitely a smart move on Funcom's part. With this latest act, the studio shows more consideration for TSW's players and fosters an increase in goodwill, something the company certainly needs after such a long wait for Issue #9 and the more recent April Fools' Day mankini debacle. Sadly, a few easily preventable missteps marred what could have been a purely positive move. Continue reading Chaos Theory: The Secret World's Whispering Tide and Tokyo Chaos Theory: The Secret World's Whispering Tide and Tokyo originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 May 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Auto Club Revolution 2.0 closed beta starts June 16 Posted: 15 May 2014 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Real-Life, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Races Auto Club Revolution, a free-to-play motorsport MMO thing developed by Eutechnyx, is gearing up for its 2.0 closed beta that begins on June 16th. The 2.0 is significant because the game initially launched in 2012. The new version is "nothing less than a full remodeling," according to the latest Eutechnyx press release. Oculus Rift support is also on the way, so if you've ever wanted an MMO featuring Fords, BMWs, and Bentleys instead of casters, healers, and tanks, ACR is probably worth a look. [Source: Eutechnyx press release] Continue reading Auto Club Revolution 2.0 closed beta starts June 16 Auto Club Revolution 2.0 closed beta starts June 16 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 May 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Double rift fragments and your chance to find legendaries in Diablo III this week Posted: 15 May 2014 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Diablo III, Anniversaries, Buy-to-Play Diablo III is one year old today. To celebrate, Blizzard is doubling the chance to find legendary items and rift fragments. The promotion begins today at 3:00 p.m. EDT and ends next Thursday, May 22nd, at 8:00 a.m. EDT. Double rift fragments and your chance to find legendaries in Diablo III this week originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 May 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

The Daily Grind: Would you like more client-side customization options? Posted: 15 May 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, The Daily Grind Lord of the Rings Online's latest patch brings some interesting client-side changes to the long-running fantasy MMO. Namely, the update gives you the ability to turn off other players' cosmetic pets. Turbine's announcement post mentions that this will help if you're having performance problems, but it'll also help with immersion if, like me, you're one of those crazy Tolkien nutters who wants a Tolkien-based MMO to look like Tolkien's Middle-earth. In fact, I'd love to see the option expanded to include Loremaster combat pets, Runekeeper spell effects, and heck, even an ignore list that filters annoying players out of the game visually instead of just removing their chat. That last one may be technically impossible, but I can dream! What about you, Massively readers? Would you like to see more client-side customization options in your MMOs? If so, what sorts? 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: Would you like more client-side customization options? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 May 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Tree of Savior gets an English dev blog Posted: 14 May 2014 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items Tree of Savior has apparently struck a chord with English-speaking audiences. Whether it's the 80-something classes, the unique class combos, or the lovely visuals, the result is enough interest to justify a new (and fully translated) dev blog. IMC Games touches on crafting, the size of the game world, character customization, and a number of other topics in its initial Q&A-style post. Tree of Savior gets an English dev blog originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Dev blog Via: Steparu

The Stream Team: A Firran Sorcerer is on the loose in ArcheAge Posted: 14 May 2014 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Free-to-Play, Livestream, ArcheAge, Sandbox, The Stream Team How much havoc can one little Firran Sorcerer wreak in ArcheAge? Plenty -- at least if you're Massively's MJ! Never tiring of exploring the land (even when that means running afoul of high level bats) or setting things on fire with her spells, MJ continues her alpha adventures with more than a little mischief on her mind. Will she find a ship to stow away on this week and fulfill her dream of becoming a pirate? Or will she have a chance at a promising legal career and decide the fate of the criminal element? Of course, a few errant fireballs near the wrong people might just make her a part of said criminal element! Join us live at 8:00 p.m. to see which way the winds of fortune blow for her. Game: ArcheAge Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Wednesday, May 14th, 2014 Time: 8:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: A Firran Sorcerer is on the loose in ArcheAge The Stream Team: A Firran Sorcerer is on the loose in ArcheAge originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Catch a glimpse of Shards Online in its first-ever livestream tonight Posted: 14 May 2014 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Previews, News Items, Events (Massively's Coverage), Livestream, Sandbox, Crowdfunding Just a few short weeks ago, Massively took its first in-depth look at Shards Online, an upcoming isometric sandbox that straddles the broad line between massive and not-so-massive. The catch? We weren't permitted to snap screenshots or video for you! Developer Citadel Studios aims to rectify that with its first-ever livestream of the game tonight on its Twitch channel. Shards Online launched a Kickstarter yesterday, so if you like what you see, you can already contribute to the project, which raised almost $25,000 in its first day. The stream itself begins tonight at 8 p.m. EDT; we've embedded it below. Continue reading Catch a glimpse of Shards Online in its first-ever livestream tonight Catch a glimpse of Shards Online in its first-ever livestream tonight originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Kickstarter update

MapleStory's Legacy of Nine update marks anniversary Posted: 14 May 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, MapleStory, Events (In-Game), Patches, Free-to-Play, Anniversaries It's MapleStory's ninth anniversary, and for that joyous occasion, the team at Nexon has prepared a special update that landed today called Legacy of Nine. Legacy of Nine is a huge patch that kicks off with skill updates for 10 of the game's classes. That act is followed by a zombie outbreak event (where, as a twist, the players become the feared undead), the new high-level soul weapon system, the Rose Garden addition to the Lion King's castle, and cross-world party quests. So happy birthday, MapleStory! You can check out the Legacy of Nine spotlight video after the jump. Continue reading MapleStory's Legacy of Nine update marks anniversary MapleStory's Legacy of Nine update marks anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Patch notes

Leaderboard: Are you raiding in WildStar? Posted: 14 May 2014 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvE, Opinion, WildStar, Dungeons, Leaderboard Carbine came clean with its plans for WildStar raiding yesterday. We got a good look at what's in store via a new DevSpeak video and a Q&A with dungeon and raid lead Brett Scheinert. This all lends itself to a poll of some sort, so what say we all click past the cut and vote on whether or not we'll be raiding in WildStar? 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: Are you raiding in WildStar? Leaderboard: Are you raiding in WildStar? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wizards of the Coast accuses MMOTCG HEX of copyright infringement Posted: 14 May 2014 03:45 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, News Items, Trading Card Games, Legal, Miscellaneous, HEX In a press release issued today, Wizards of the Coast announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Cryptozoic, the studio behind MMOTCG HEX, which is currently in closed beta. WotC alleges "willful infringement of intellectual property rights": May 14, 2014 (Renton, WA) - Today Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington against Cryptozoic Entertainment, LLC and its alter ego, Hex Entertainment, LLC (collectively, "Cryptozoic"), for willful infringement of intellectual property rights. Cryptozoic develops and publishes the digital trading card game, Hex: Shards of Fate, a clone of the world famous tabletop collectable trading card game, Magic: The Gathering(R), and its digital expressions, Magic Online(R) and the Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers(R) franchise. "Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast vigorously protect our intellectual property. This infringement suit against Cryptozoic demonstrates that while we appreciate a robust and thriving trading card game industry, we will not permit the misappropriation of our intellectual property" said Barbara Finigan, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Hasbro. "We attempted to resolve this issue, but Cryptozoic was unwilling to settle the matter." The suit includes claims for copyright, patent and trade dress infringement. [Developing. With thanks to dddd for the tip!] Wizards of the Coast accuses MMOTCG HEX of copyright infringement originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: WOTC press release, Official filing

City of Steam teases patch 2.6 improvements Posted: 14 May 2014 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, Endgame, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser, City of Steam, Steampunk While its initial launch had some definite issues, City of Steam seems to be doing quite well for itself with new servers, new platforms, and a new patch on the way. That new patch shows off some of its new features in a recent development blog, starting with inter-server PvP between the top 20 players on each server. Yes, that means you'll need to muscle your way to the head of the pack in PvP before you get a shot at competing, but getting there means fantastic prizes. Patch 2.6 will also bring with it the Tower of Peril, rewarding players for how far they can climb and generally challenging any high-level high-intensity players. There will also be numerous improvements to in-game text, bugs, and the like. If that sounds like just what you want to see, you can take a look at the blog post for a few more details and then jump in and start playing right from there. City of Steam teases patch 2.6 improvements originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Sneak peek for patch 2.6

Elder Scrolls Online gets another third-party auction house Posted: 14 May 2014 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Economy, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription TESO Elite Marketplace isn't the only attempt out there to fill in the hole of a missing Elder Scrolls Online auction house. ZAM announced today the start up of ESO Outpost to meet the needs of buyers and sellers. The service uses "a web-based interface and companion add-on" to buy and sell gold and items. The addon includes a customizable description field, optional screenshots, comments section, tracking, and post-trade feedback. Elder Scrolls Online gets another third-party auction house originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Introducing ESO Outpost

WildStar raid dev: 'Our raids are the best blend of challenging and fun' Posted: 14 May 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, Dev Diaries, WildStar, Dungeons, Subscription Do you wonder what it takes to make the toughest PvE content in an MMO? Then you'll want to virtually meet WildStar Dungeon and Raid Lead Designer Brett Scheinert, who stars in a new "A Moment in the Life" video talking about his job. "The biggest thing to be excited about with our raids is that they're the best blend I've seen between being challenging and fun," Scheinert claims. He goes on in the video to talk about his past experience in the industry and how he thinks it's really cool to see his ideas become reality. The video is a three-minute interview with several glimpses into WildStar's raids, although we suspect that Scheinert was using GM codes to solo them. You can give it a watch after the jump. Continue reading WildStar raid dev: 'Our raids are the best blend of challenging and fun' WildStar raid dev: 'Our raids are the best blend of challenging and fun' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

Dungeon Fighter Online returns from the dead Posted: 14 May 2014 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, Free-to-Play, Dungeon Fighter Online It was a about a year ago that Dungeon Fighter Online closed up shop in North America, but the scrappy MMO might be back for round two. The resurrected version of Dungeon Fighter Online is being run by developer Neople, not Nexon. The studio plans to begin the alpha test of DFO tomorrow, May 15th. This will be an open alpha test requiring players to use their Facebook accounts to access. "As some of you rightly mentioned, this is an alpha test, not a full re-opening of the game," Neople cautioned on its Facebook page. "So there might be bits and pieces that don't go as smoothly as we want, and we sincerely hope the DFO community understands this." [Thanks to everyone who sent in this tip!] Dungeon Fighter Online returns from the dead originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: DFO Facebook

Compensation planned for WildStar's name reservation failures Posted: 14 May 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Bugs, Culture, News Items, WildStar, Subscription, Buy-to-Play WildStar players attempting to reserve their name yesterday ran into a bit of a problem -- namely, the fact that it didn't work. Maintenance took place, the page went up and down, and a lot of people trying to reserve important names ahead of time found themselves unable to do so. Needless to say, this kind of defeated the entire purpose of allowing people to reserve names ahead of time to ensure that they're available on launch. A recent forum post by Jeremy Gaffney apologizes for the issues and promises that compensation is planned for players affected by the issue: We'll compensate to the best of our ability in a fair fashion for folks who missed out on a name (or really folks affected in general) in as rational a fashion as tech and fairness allows. The details will need to be fleshed out before we communicate so we don't make a misstep on that; there are lots of moving parts. He went on to state that this was not a planned stress test as well as discussed the reasons behind gaps in communication. If you think your name got through but want to double-check, you can do so via the method outlined in this forum post. Compensation planned for WildStar's name reservation failures originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Name reservation update, How to check if your name was reserved

Choose My Adventure: Starting out again in Defiance Posted: 14 May 2014 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Choose My Adventure, Post-Apocalyptic, Defiance For the month of May, I'll be playing in Trion Worlds' Defiance for this Choose My Adventure column. I played the game a bit at launch and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Since then, the MMOFPS has grown significantly, with five DLC packs added to its stable in only one year as well as another season renewal for the Defiance TV show on Syfy. But does all of this ultimately mean that the game is good? I'm going to take another look at everything while you guide my path a bit. This week, you'll be voting on how I'll spend my EGO points as well as my progression through the story. Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Starting out again in Defiance Choose My Adventure: Starting out again in Defiance originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Origins of Malu back on Kickstarter, aiming to release 'within the next few months' Posted: 14 May 2014 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Business Models, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Origins of Malu Indie sci-fantasy sandbox MMO Origins of Malu is back on Kickstarter. We say "back" because you may remember Burning Dog's first crowdfunding drive from October of 2012. The dev team canceled it less than a day after it began due to talks with outside investors. Said talks eventually dissolved, but work continued and Burning Dog says it's looking to "release this long-gestating game out to the public within the next few months." To do so requires "very specific skill sets," which the current Kickstarter funding will facilitate. If you want an early look at the game, check out MJ streaming the alpha with Burning Dog devs. [Thanks Cody!] Origins of Malu back on Kickstarter, aiming to release 'within the next few months' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Kickstarter

Ambitious new sandbox MMO The Far Reaches hits Kickstarter Posted: 14 May 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, New Titles, Sandbox, Crowdfunding The Far Reaches is a new one-man MMO project hitting Kickstarter for an extra long 60-day campaign. While Kickstarted sandbox MMOs are nothing new, The Far Reaches features some interesting Star Wars Galaxies-like mechanics that caught our eye. Touted as an open-ended sci-fi MMO, TFR aims to be different by offering a living, breathing virtual world. NPCs are detailed characters in the world that lead virtual lives that include crafting items, forming associations, working a day job, building new structures, spreading rumors and lies, and even maintaining relationships with the players. In addition, TFR features a skill-based crafting system, world PvP, detailed skill tree, and professions unlike any you've seen in a long time. Want to hunt down high profile criminal players? Become a Bounty Hunter. Want to create your own NPCs? Try the Roboticist. For more info, check out the Kickstarter page and the video included after the cut. Continue reading Ambitious new sandbox MMO The Far Reaches hits Kickstarter Ambitious new sandbox MMO The Far Reaches hits Kickstarter originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Kickstarter Page

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