2
Jun

MMORPG News

MMORPG News

Lineage 2: Double XP & Drops Week Announced

Posted: 31 May 2011 05:11 PM PDT

Continuing the anniversary celebration, NCSoft and Lineage II devs have announced that June 8-15, 2011 is not only a double XP week but that drops will significantly increase as well. Developers are encouraging players to level up to be able to experience the high-level content that the Goddess of Destruction update will bring.

General: Federal Grants Available for Video Game Art

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 10:58 AM PDT

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced a new federal grant program called "Arts in Media" that now contains a subsection specifically for video game art. According to the press release, this is the first time that a federal agency recognizes video games as art.

City of Heroes: Steampunk Pack Launches

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 10:31 AM PDT

Paragon Studios has announced that the City of Heroes Steampunk Pack officially launched today. The new pack contains lots of "gizmos, gadgets and gears for players including the steam jump travel option, costume pieces and more.
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMOGaming News

MMOGaming News

Everything Comes True in RF Online Dream Factory

Posted:

Starting from June 16th, popular SF MMORPG game RF Online offers many exciting and varied events. The upcoming event is called Dream Factory. The main purpose of this event is for both new and existing users to acquire game money or items easily and quickly.

Bloodline Champions: The Astronomer

Posted:

The learning curve was very steep and you could easily see a discrepancy between those with prior arena PvP experience and knowledge, and those new to this style.

Mysterious Giant Karok Will Arrive in Vindictus

Posted:

All Vindictus fans, keep your eyes peeled for the newest playable character, a mysterious race of nomadic giants from the south. He is coming! His name is Karok.

Silkroad Online Jumps into June with an Upgrade Bonanza

Posted:

Joymax, a developer and publisher of interactive entertainment for the global market, announced several new upgrades for Silkroad Online players. The upgrades include new Item Mall and In-game item updates including the addition of the Red Riding Hood Cloak, Awaken and Special Awaken Stones, new elaborate special effects on items and more.

Time for Redefining Browser MMORPG

Posted:

Ever since there came the concept of browser game, editorialists have been exclaiming over the new dimension of computer gaming. But as for browser-based MMORPGs, most we get in past years are only disappointments that are more of a texting game with very limited, if none at all, visual or action elements. Good thing is we now see real progress.

COG Will Announce War of Glory at E3

Posted:

COG Publish Limited announced it will unveil its latest title War of Glory on E3. "It was developed for 3 years, we are looking forward to share it with you, now we think it's the right time", Angel Mo, The Deputy General Manager of COG said.

There's Way Too Much Stuff in the DFO Update to List Here

Posted:

Nexon is making the upcoming update for Dungeon Fighter Online the biggest one yet, and they've already been off to a good start by announcing the Thief class and the removal of fatigue points. Now they're taking things further with today's announcement regarding Act X: Rebirth.

Alt1 Announces First Beta Dates for Waren Story

Posted:

Alt1 announces the first beta dates for its super-scale MMORPG Waren Story. It is scheduled from June 16th to 19th. From now on, Alt1 will recruit beta players through official website.

Cross Fire Receives New Western Themed Patch

Posted:

G4Box Inc., a North American publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment media announced today it has launched its latest monthly content update for its online military shooter, Cross Fire. The new patch is Western themed and offers an all-new elimination mode map, new in-game messenger system, new weapons and character items and new Cross Fire ribbons.

Earthrise - Massive Discount(Digital Version) and Free Expansion

Posted:

The English-language digital version of Earthrise can be purchased digitally at various major direct download destinations at the price of ?29,99 (a massive 40% price-drop).

TERA Update Boasts New Zones, Level Cap Upgrade and More

Posted:

Just over 3 months after TERA, the action-MMO, launched in South Korea to record breaking numbers, publisher Frogster is pleased to announce a wide range of new updates players will be seeing when it launches in Europe.

E3 2011 - Perfect World's Trailers for Rusty Hearts and RaiderZ

Posted:

E3 2011 is just around the corner and there are MANY online gaming developers and publishers from all around the world setting up booths at the event. First up will be Perfect World Entertainment with their 2 games, Rusty Hearts (2011) and RaiderZ (2012).

Blackshot Europe: The Second World War Released

Posted:

eFusion MMOG has announced that their latest game update for BlackShot Europe "The Second World War" has been officially released.

[Part 2]ArcheAge: Highly Free Shipbuilding and Naval Battle

Posted:

Korea-based XL Games' ArcheAge performed its 3rd CBT from May 24th-29th, when the in-game naval battle system was fully revealed based on the theme "Freewill Naval Battle".

RIFT Crafting - Weaponsmith Guide

Posted:

As with most of the other professions, you can salvage some of the items you make. You get a chance on having some of the materials you used returned. Or you can get entirely new and different returned materials used in rarer recipes.

Skill Based or Level Based or Class Based?

Posted:

Hey, folks. Which kind of mmos do you prefer? Skill Based, Level Based, Class Based or Hybrid like Skill-Class Based? Im just curious to see how other people think bout it.

Rift - New Lesson: No Safe Spots?

Posted:

Hey peeps, do you see the picture above… Do you know what exactly that means…? It means trouble lol! Yesterday I was doing some stuff in stonefield like quests, closing a few random Rifts around the place and chatting with my new Rift guild...

WoW: Winged Guardian Available in Blizzard Pet Store

Posted:

It has been a while, since Blizzard has released a purchasable mount. The first attempt has been more than successful. Celestial Steed was the first mount to be introduced to the Blizzard Store. The price at which you could purchase the mount was 20EUR /25 USD.

G-star 2011 Schedule Confirmed with 30% Discount at Most for Exhibitors

Posted:

G-star 2011, the biggest game expo in South Korea, is scheduled to raise its curtain on Nov. 10, 2011. Busan will still be the lucky city to hold this game feast. Discounts that exhibitors will enjoy at G-star 2011 have also been unveiled for the first time.

Blood Rites Uncover Spirit Farm to Plant Your Own Spirit Tree

Posted:

This part of news from Blood Rites is for some body, but not for everybody. If you are a player like EDU games or a person willing to spend your time on pruning your plants, please go ahead and help yourself. If you're not, the following content may contain impropriate information which possibly leads to unknown headache, dejected, or speechless.
Posted by Shri Krishna
1
Jun

General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

Microsoft Announces First Real Details About Windows 8

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 04:59 PM PDT

 

So, this is the new Start screen for Windows 8. It looks a lot like Windows Phone Live Tiles. And hey, that looks like an app store.

The whole point of Windows 8, which is just a codename, is to be one OS that'll run on regular computers or on tablets. So Windows 8 will run two kinds of applications: A standard Windows application ("It's Windows. Everything just runs," says Windows chief Steven Sinofsky) and an almost mobile-like app, written in HTML5 and JavaScript, which Microsoft is calling a "new platform." And of course, there's IE10 underpinning those apps. All apps can be viewed in this tile-based UI, which Josh from TIMN says is, "Very impressive. It looks super fast." You can totally see the Windows Phone influence on the interface, from the tiles to the touch keyboard, which even has a "thumbs" mode. (Sinofsky tells All Things D, "We were clearly influenced ourselves by phones.") The animations and gestures and multitasking are all pretty damn smooth looking, as you can see in this demo video.

Better still, it requires fewer resources than Windows 7, which is kind of crazy. Which all sounds great. And sort of what I expected. What sounds (and looks) a little dicey is that the awesome, modern tile UI is basically just a skin over Windows. The rest of the "classic Windows desktop" is still there, looking underneath, albeit adjusted to be more touch friendly with "fuzzy hit targeting," so regular Windows applications will work with touch or keyboard/mouse. But the two things together looks like a miscreant experience, even in Microsoft's demo. The idea of running real, full Windows apps on a tablet (or anywhere) isn't a bad one, but it looks pretty gross and weird in practice.

We'll apparently see a lot more in September at Microsoft's Build conference.

Microsoft's official list of new features shown off today:

• Fast launching of apps from a tile-based Start screen, which replaces the Windows Start menu with a customizable, scalable full-screen view of apps.

• Live tiles with notifications, showing always up-to-date information from your apps.

• Fluid, natural switching between running apps.

• Convenient ability to snap and resize an app to the side of the screen, so you can really multitask using the capabilities of Windows.

• Web-connected and Web-powered apps built using HTML5 and JavaScript that have access to the full power of the PC.

• Fully touch-optimized browsing, with all the power of hardware-accelerated Internet Explorer 10

We're following Microsoft demo, live, (so expect this post to be changed and updated with more stuff).

 

Gizmodo is the world's most fun technology website, focused on gadgets and how they make our lives better, worse, and more absurd.

The Technology Behind: 911 Police Communications and Dispatch

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 03:20 PM PDT

Before the advent of the rotary-dial telephone, people whose houses were burning down around them had it easy. All calls were placed with the assistance of an operator. If you needed the police, you'd pick up your phone's handset and tell the operator to get them on the line. Dead simple. Once we were empowered with the ability to dial out to other telephone users without the assistance of an operator, things got a little more complicated. The method for requesting emergency assistance varied from state to state, and in many cases, even from city to city. The minutes lost to figuring out what number to call for help often lead the victims of crime, medical and fire emergencies to a tragic end. In 1967, AT&T and the Federal Communications Commission sat down to hammer out the details of the national standard for requesting help from emergency services that we still use today—dialling 911. While dialling this simple three digit number may seem like a no-brainer to us now, when 911 was first introduced, it was a paradigm shift in emergency communications that allowed, for example, an individual in Toledo on a business trip to call for an ambulance the same way he would have back home in San Francisco. Kind of a big deal, right?

Today, 911 isn't just the gold standard of calling for help in the United States, it's also used across Canada. In Ontario, should you need the assistance of the Guelph Police Service, your 911 call will be taken, processed and dispatched by an impressive collection of personnel, equipment and software handpicked to fit the city's emergency needs. It's a communications and dispatch system that Jonathan Green, the Guelph Police Service's Information Systems Coordinator, is pretty proud of. Green and a team of in-house IT professionals are tasked with the daunting role of keeping the flow of information moving 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, ensuring that the public and Guelph's police officers have clear lines of emergency communications available to them when they are needed most.

"Most people end up dealing with the police on some of the worst days of their lives", says Green. "Making sure that we make things as easy as possible for them when they need police assistance is a priority for us." Green added that with the world getting more dangerous by the day, keeping clear lines of communications open to convey data to officers in the field is more important than ever. How do they do it? Well, due to security concerns, Green couldn't give us all the details behind how the Guelph Police Service fields incoming emergency calls, but in general, the technology behind a police communications and dispatch system will be similar no matter where you go in North America.

In most situations, when you dial 911 from a landline, the 911 dispatch center, also called a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), that answers your call is determined by your phone number. Each PSAP has a list of numbers that are pre-selected to be taken by a specific dispatch center. If you use a mobile phone to call for help, your handset transmits your call data to the nearest cellular tower, and then, based on that tower's geographic location, routes it through to the appropriate PSAP. Sometimes, a tower might reside in an area where the lines of jurisdiction are muddled. While this can result in a call being sent to the wrong PSAP, the dispatch operator who answers your call is trained to connect you with the correct PSAP as quickly as possible. Even where communications barriers exist, most PSAPs will have you covered. Hearing impaired callers are able to communicate with dispatch operators through the use of TTY software or a device like the one pictured below.

If English isn't your first language, you'll find that the majority of PSAPs can provide translation services to their clients. According to Green, the service employed by the Guelph Police Service offers communications in over 100 languages to ensure that callers receive the assistance they need. More often than not, translation services are farmed out to companies such Language Line Services. In the event that a PSAP becomes incapacitated due to a systems failure or zombie apocalypse, most municipal, state and provincial police, EMS and fire services have agreements in place with other nearby centers to cover for one another, ensuring that the flow of requests for emergency assistance can continue without interruption.

Many of the pieces of hardware used in a typical PSAP are off-the-shelf consumer-grade solutions. We're talking middle-of-the-road Dell and HP rigs rocking Windows XP here. The cutting-edge goofery you see in an average big budget Hollywood cop flick? It's all nonsense. 

"We tend to steer away from cutting-edge tech in favor of more stable solutions that have a long history of reliability", says Green. "When we do upgrade our systems with new hardware or software, we aim to do so at times of the year that have shown a trend towards less incoming calls." While the software needs of most PSAP dispatch centers will be similar in nature, the applications utilized are typically customized to meet the requirements of the region that a specific PSAP services. A handful of companies such as Amcom Software, 911 Inc. and Priority Dispatch provide the bulk of the software utilized in most 911 dispatch centers across North America.

 

Much like the hardware the applications run on, the software is frill-free, dependable, and features built-ins such as telephone/cellular location mapping, case entry fields, and built-in situation-specific question keys for dispatch operators to ask callers. Utilizing Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) software, PSAPs can funnel preparatory information pertaining to an emergency call to responding officers in the field. While no two CAD systems are likely to be the same, this wiki article offers a very respectable overview of how a typical CAD system operates.

The information sent out to officers can include call history for the address being responded to, past charges for known persons involved, whether or not the call involves weapons or violence of any sort - even biohazards or the presence of a dangerous animal. Having this intelligence on hand ensures that when the police arrive on scene, they'll have all the information they need in order to deal with whatever they're walking into as safely as possible.

Speaking of dispatching information to officers in the field, let's talk about how the information gets from the PSAP and into the hands of the police on the street. If you said via radio, you get a cookie.

Despite the communications options available to emergency service workers today, radio transmission is still the primary method for shifting information from the PSAP to officers in the field, with cellular data communication to in-cruiser computer equipment coming in as a close second. Green explains that like many smaller municipalities, Guelph's emergency services all share the same radio system, albeit on different channels. In much the same way that the PSAP is backed up, a number of redundant communications systems, including a secondary radio system and cellular radio technology are installed in the back of each emergency vehicle in case they're needed.

"We try to stay away from using the cellular hardware in an emergency though". Says Green. "As soon as something big happens, the networks get completely clogged up. Everyone calls home at the same time to make sure their loved ones are all OK."  When asked to provide some deeper specifics concerning what equipment was used on the dispatch side of things to make the communicative magic happen, Green became mum once again, citing security. He was however more than ready to speak to what other hardware could be found in a typical police vehicle.

"We really like the Panasonic Toughbook", Green admitted. "The officers are hard on the hardware sometimes. Coffee spills, rain water; just general wear and tear can see equipment taking a lot of downtime. The water resistance and and general ruggedness keeps the hardware in the field where it belongs. Green explained that all of the in-car computers in use by the Guelph Police Service operate using mission-specific touch screen-enabled software, allowing access to dispatch and call information, criminal records, location data, and vehicle information—all the data that patrol officers need to do their job safely and effectively.

Outside of their vehicles, Guelph officers could rely on the same data relayed from dispatch to a handheld radio system or a Blackberry handset, bought off the shelf from local providers and stripped of its OS before being loaded up with—you guessed it—software that Green was unable to comment on. "Research in Motion wanted to provide us with handset hardware they'd specialized for law enforcement", said Green. "We turned it down and went with stock Blackberry phones instead. If the bad guys got to know the difference between the police and regular handsets, it really wouldn't work out well for our undercover guys."

We'll admit it, the frustrating amount of security surrounding police communications technology is well… frustrating. We'd loved to have been able to show you more of what goes on behind the scenes with police communications and dispatch systems. That said, it's comforting to know that North America's emergency communication systems is so closely guarded. After all, if it ever turns out that we need the police on what Green would describe as our "worst day", we'll want to see our local 911 system running like clock work—mysterious systems and all.

Samsung Chromebook Available Early from Gilt

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 03:04 PM PDT

series5The Samsung Chromebook is up for sale a bit early, but you're never going to guess where. Google is sending out email invites to select CR-48 users directing them to high-end deal site Gilt for a special pre-sale of the Samsung Series 5 ChromeOS device. The uninvited can use this link to get in on the fun, though. You need a Gilt account, but the price seems pegged at $499.

The Series 5 is the higher-end version of the first real Chromebooks. It has the customary dual-core Atom, 8.5 hour battery life, integrated 3G, and a 12.1-inch screen. When closed, it is only 0.79-inches thick. Those that buy the device on Gilt will get a special "limited edition" sleeve designed by Rickshaw.

The pricing is more or less what the Series 5 is expected to fetch at retail. If you really need to be the first to have a Chrome OS notebook, or simply must have that sleeve, hit the link above. Sale begins at 9PM PST today.

Future Tense: Websight

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 02:10 PM PDT

Marshall McLuhan once said that the medium is the massage.  

If that's true, then the Internet is a serious pummeling by an unruly mob, with an occasional mugging mixed in.    

The architects of this beating are web-designers.  The best evidence of this can be found at Vincent Flanders' website, http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/.  The theory behind Web Pages That Suck is that you can learn a lot about good design by looking at bad design.  Flanders also has two similarly-titled books on the subject and his website and his books ought to be mandatory reading for anyone designing, building, or even maintaining a website.  

 A website is like a yacht.  It's a hole in the water into which you pour time and money, except there's no water and no yacht, and no bikini-clad blonde on the foredeck.  

If you're building one of those non-existent yachts, then you know that designing it, assembling it, testing it, tweaking it, plugging in the content, can be a painful collision of art and function.  

Your website is your public face to the world.  Whether you're an individual or a business, an organization or a company, or merely a special-interest group, it demonstrates who you are.  It's an expression of your self.    

You will certainly want it to be attractive.  Depending on your goals for the site, you may also want it to be dramatic, enthusiastic, playful, sincere, inviting, and authentic.  Or … you may want it to be horrific, bizarre, sinister, and disturbing.  Whoever you want to be, however you want the world to think of you, your website is your place to create it.  

But whatever the design and appearance of a website, the primary purpose is still the delivery of content.  The users come to your site looking for specific content.  If they find it, they stay.  If they don't find it, they go somewhere else.     

Whatever the site, whether it's Amazon, Netflix, Google News, Wikipedia, Facebook, YouTube, IMDB, HuffingtonPost, Digg, Reddit, Slashdot, Lifehacker, Gizmo, Cracked, The Onion, or even your favorite porn portal, the most important thing about a website is its content.  

So that's:

Rule 1.  Content.  

And … the content has to be easily accessible.  

That means that the menus have to be clearly visible and logically organized.  Menus can be tabbed across the top or stacked down the side in a vertical column, or even some combination of the two:  a horizontal main menu for major categories, a vertical menu specific to each page.  

But if a page has too many menu items, it quickly becomes confusing.   The user doesn't want a vast table of contents on the top level and he doesn't want a half-vast labyrinth of submenus either.  He wants clearly defined tabs that let him drill down to the specific content he's looking for.  Three clicks or less.  If it takes more than that to find the target page, it becomes frustrating and annoying.  Especially if there's no cheese at the end of the tunnel.

So that's:

Rule 2.  Convenience.

The first graphical browser for surfing the web was Mosaic, released in 1993.  That was the transformative moment when website design became important.  It was also the moment when Pandora opened the damn box and let loose thousands of amateurs who set out to prove that they were marvelous web designers because they knew how to use all the tools dramatically.  

By the time the dot-com bubble burst, the web had been inundated with splash pages, bloated flash animations, buttons and doodads that danced and twirled, menus that bounced, popped, sparkled, dropped, exploded, and took forever to download.  All that experimentation was fun—but it got in the way of the content, it wasn't convenient, it wasn't easy.  

Fortunately, popular website design has evolved past that.  We have a comfortable standard that most sites seem to follow.  First, there's an identifying banner across the top—that's where designers usually have the most fun with artwork.  

Below that, most content-heavy sites have a horizontal tabbed menu and easy submenus.  Lighter sites, not needing as many options, can present their menu either horizontally or vertically.

Primary content is usually presented in a wide column in the center of the page.  Ancillary content, like vertical menus, additional resources, or ads, will then be presented in a narrower column, right or left.  

Content-heavy sites are more likely to go to three columns:  a wide column in the center, flanked by two sidebars.  Generally, a content-heavy site will break its content up into multiple pages rather than have you scroll down too far.  

While the above isn't the only way to design a website, it has become the commonest design and users seem to be comfortable with it, probably because of its overall resemblance to a magazine page—albeit an interactive one, with music, animation, video, and pop-ups.  

As a de facto standard, it's easy and efficient, and it provides quick access to content.  It's a good example of form-follows-function. 

And that's:

Rule 3.  Competency.

It doesn't hurt to have some sense of design and color.  But even if not, use a little common sense.  

There should be high contrast between text and background.  Light on dark is dramatic, but dark on light is easier to read.  I prefer a light colored background because pure white is like staring into a light bulb.  And the smart designer knows to avoid heavily-patterned backgrounds behind the text, because that's distracting.  Color creates emotional impact, but too much color or inappropriate colors can drive users away.  Don't put yellow text on a red background, don't put red text on a pink background.  (I've seen both of these horrors—and from people who should know better.)

The casual blogger can put together something at WordPress and be up and running almost immediately.  WordPress and Blogger are the two most popular tools because they're easy and convenient and there are a lot of attractive themes you can instantly plug in and tweak to your needs.

For those who like hand-tool their own sites, there are many more sophisticated tools.  It doesn't hurt to look around the web to see what other web designers have done, paying attention to what works and what doesn't work.  Learning from others' mistakes can be even more valuable than learning from their successes.  

Content, Convenience, and Competence.  That's the goal.  

What do you think?  

What advice would you give to a website designer?

 

How to Track Your Stolen Laptop for Free

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 01:08 PM PDT

Using Prey, you'll have the upper hand over thieves

A laptop is a lot of things—it's a mobile entertainment center, a portal to the web, and a way to get work done away from home. More than anything, though, it's a freakin'-expensive piece of hardware that you absolutely do not want to lose.

Of course, the best way to keep your laptop is to not get it stolen in the first place. But if you do, you can be prepared to try and track it down. Plenty of companies are more than happy to charge you a recurring fee for this sort of protection, but you can actually get it for free. A software package called Prey allows you to remotely monitor your stolen laptop, retrieving screenshots, webcam pictures, and Wi-Fi hotspot information that you (and the police) can use to track down your property. It's open source, it's free, and we'll show you how to use it.

1. Make a Guest Account in Windows

In Windows, Prey runs as a service. Unfortunately, that means that its tracking abilities will only kick in when a thief logs into a user account on your computer. A truly sophisticated criminal would know to never do this, but we're looking to provide protection against your average thug, not Ethan Hunt.

So the thug has to be able to log into an account. You've got two options: First, you could remove the password from your primary account (which for safety reasons should never be the administrative account). That leaves your data exposed, so we recommend the second option—creating a password-unprotected guest account.

Creating a guest account is easy—just open the Start Menu, then right-click Computer and select Manage. In the Local Users and Groups tab you can right-click and create a new account (above).

2. Install Prey

Now, log in to your new guest account, and download the Prey installer from www.preyproject.com. Run the installer, and when you get to the end, choose to configure Prey now. The first thing you'll need to decide is how you want to manage Prey (below). You can choose to use the online control panel, or to set it up in stand-alone mode. There are a few drawbacks to the online control panel (you can only store 10 reports at once online, for one), but we think the convenience outweighs any limitations. Select the control panel method and you'll be asked to create an account.

The only other setting you may want to change locally is to tell your computer to automatically connect to in-range Wi-Fi hotspots. This may help Prey send you reports, even if the perp doesn't mean to connect to the Internet.

3. Get Reports

The unthinkable has happened! Your laptop has been pilfered! (Or, you just want to test out Prey). It's time to log in to the control panel and have a look around. In the control panel at Preyproject.com, there are a number of reporting options you can set, but the most important is at the top, marked Missing. If your laptop is stolen, toggle this option as soon as possible to tell Prey to start sending reports. You can also increase the frequency of sent reports, but remember that the free version of Prey stores only 10 reports at a time, so if you're not going to be able to retrieve the reports over a few hours, you might want to set a longer interval. Beyond that, all the options are pretty straightforward—they allow you to keep track of networking and geolocation information (above), so you can find your laptop, and to track webcam activity and which programs the thief uses (below), so you can identify them to the police.

So that's it—sit back, wait for the reports to start rolling in, and laugh maniacally. 

IE Continues to Lose Ground

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT

We don't like IE6. Neither does Microsoft. In fact, the company actually maintains a site dedicated to telling the world how badly IE6 sucks and pleading for everybody to just stop using it, already. Their aim seems a bit off, though, if the numbers released today by metrics company NetApplications are any indication. IE6 is definitely losing market share, but the browser seems determined to drag its younger brothers kicking and screaming into the toilet with it.

Now, this isn't a doomsday scenario; NetApplications reports the various editions of Internet Explorer still account for over half the global browser usage, sitting at a healthy 54.27 percent. Taking a peek behind the curtain, though, reveals some troubling trends for Microsoft's baby. In July 2010, Internet Explorer enjoyed over 60.74 percent of the global share. That's more than a six percent dip in less than a year.

So where's everybody going? ComputerWorld took a look at the statistics for each version of IE, and found that while Microsoft's flagship IE9 gained an additional 1.8 percent in the past month (to a whopping 4.2 percent), people are fleeing the other versions like rats from a sinking ship – even from IE8, which comes installed in Windows 7. Chrome and Safari seem to be stealing away most of the users. Since July, their shares have jumped by 5.36 and 2.19 percent, respectively.

Windows Phone 7 App of the Week: TouchStudio

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 11:23 AM PDT

Many of the tools, features, and fundamental building blocks in Microsoft applications were originally developed by the dark wizards at Microsoft Research. From little things we take for granted like Windows Desktop Gadgets to the high end Microsoft Surface platform, Microsoft Research has their work spread through the entire Microsoft catalog of products. Windows Phone 7 has the fingerprints of Microsoft Research strewn throughout the OS, most notably showcased by the text prediction within the superb software keyboard.

TouchStudio is a scripting tool from Microsoft Research that provides a scripting environment on your Windows Phone. Now in version 1.2, TouchStudio comes pre-packaged with a number of scripts offering a variety of functions. All of these scripts can be broken apart and tweaked to your heart's content, allowing you to fully customize their functionality. Access to all manner of sensors and data types are available allowing you to accomplish anything from searching the music on your phone to measuring the inclination of your device.

The only downside to TouchStudio I can see is the requirement to launch each script from within the tool. Hopefully once Mango (the next major update to Windows Phone) is released this fall we will get support for adding tiles to the home screen.

As TouchStudio is a free download from the Zune Marketplace, there is no reason to hesitate. Give it a go today.

Only 3 Banks Fund The Majority Of Spammers

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 11:19 AM PDT

We here at Maximum PC love credit cards, cheap pharmaceuticals and nude celebs just as much as the next guy, we just don't like spam – or the suggestion of inferiority that its "Make (insert body part here) bigger!" offers hint at. Numbers indicate that spam makes up the majority of all emails sent worldwide, and email providers spend a ton of time and money combating spam so that we don't have to. A recent report offers new insight on how to hit spammers where it hurts – their wallets.

Ars Technica is reporting that a group of researchers from the University of California-San Diego, the University of California-Berkeley, and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics sifted through over one billion spam URLs, and continued clicking on each page until they were prompted to buy a product. Their findings? Only 45 advertising affiliates were responsible for all the trash. They then made 120 purchases; the credit companies OK'd 76 transactions. The spammers then processed 56 of the orders and sent out products for 49 of them.

So what did the researchers find other than the fact that approximately 14 percent of spam transactions result in paying money for nothing? One very interesting tidbit; just three banks were responsible for 95 percent of all the authorized transactions. Azerigazbank in Azerbaijan, St Kitts & Nevis Anguilla National Bank in St Kitts &Nevis, and DnB Nord in Latvia were revealed as the primary money-men behind the spam scene.

We're glass-half-full types, so we look at the numbers optimistically; most banks won't deal with spammers. Too bad about those other three.

Mac Defender Bites Back 8 Hours After Apple Update

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 10:39 AM PDT

Let's pretend that rather than being a massively successful technology company, Apple was actually, you know, an apple. The bright, shiny red kind the old lady down the street hands out on Halloween. It looks really delicious on the outside, but deep down inside, there's a terrible secret lurking. If Apple is an apple, Mac Defender is its hidden razor. And not even half a day after Apple finally stopped twiddling its thumbs and released a patch to combat the malware, Mac Defender's authors released a new version that's already bypassing the new protections.

Apple released Security Update 2011-003 yesterday, and Ed Bott at ZDNet reports the new Mac Defender variation showed up at 9:24 P.M. Pacific time – less than eight hours after the patch. Bott says the newest variation comes with a different name, Mdinstall.pkg, but works the same as before; it still manages to install without the user ever having to put in their administrative password. And so the vicious cycle continues.

On the plus side, the new File Quarantine definitions supplied by the patch definitely halts the older version of Mac Defender in its tracks. File Quarantine pops when the program tries to install, clearly informing the user of its malicious intent and asking permission to move it to the trash. It's an effective fix; too bad it only worked for one afternoon.

NZXT H2 Review

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 10:21 AM PDT

Simple, affordable, quiet

NZXT's H2 is a simple-looking case—in fact, simplicity seems to be the overall theme—and that's not necessarily a bad thing. In the world of PC building, simple can be good.

The H2 is an ATX mid-tower, constructed of sturdy steel. The side panels (which lack windows or adornment of any kind) are lined with acoustic-dampening foam to keep your hardware quiet. It works well for the most part. We had the case running three fans, and the addition of the side and front panels made the case noticeably quieter.

The NZXT H2 has a very simple and, dare we say, classy design.

The 8.5x18.3x20.5-inch chassis comes stock with a 12cm exhaust fan and two front-mounted 12cm intake fans, which are latched into the front of the case and use electrical contact points to connect with the fan power and control switch at the top of the chassis.

Eight toolless hard drive bays are accessed by removing one or both front intake fans, and the hard drive trays slide forward out of the front of the case. The front panel features snap-off bezels over the three 5.25-inch bays for easy and toolless optical drive installation.

The inside of the H2 is workable, though it felt a bit cramped for a mid-size case. Thanks to the way the hard drive bays are designed, long videocards, such as the Radeon HD 5970, can fit in the case, though you'll need to remove one or two hard drive trays to accommodate the longest cards. The three grommeted cutouts for internal case wiring are a cool addition, though they can be slightly difficult to access due to the confined space, and the rubber grommets tend to fall out of the cutouts easily.

Not impossible to build into by any means, but a little more cramped than we like.

Up top, the H2 doesn't disappoint, featuring a drop-down SATA dock, the standard audio inputs, three USB 2.0 inputs, and a single USB 3.0 input, as well as power and reset buttons. The USB 3.0 port uses a pass-through that will work with many boards but is unsightly compared to the few cases we've tested that are now using the new internal USB 3.0 header spec. There's also a nifty three-speed fan-control switch. The H2 accommodates an additional 12cm top fan behind the SATA dock. The case doesn't come with the fan, but it's nice to have the option. If you don't want to utilize the fan port, it can be covered with a magnetic fan cover that comes with the case.

Ultimately, the H2 is a simple but solid case made more appealing by its super-low price tag. At just 100 bucks, you're getting a sturdy chassis with USB 3.0, a drop-down SATA dock, and an innovative fan configuration. Minor inclusions, like a slide-out dust filter below your PSU, and the aforementioned sound-dampening foam, are awesome additions for a case at the H2's price point—the Fractal Define R3, reviewed in the February issue, offered similar features but lacked USB 3.0 ports and fan control, and cost 10 bucks more.

$100, www.nzxt.com
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMO News

MMO News

Koramgame announces Indomitus

Posted: 31 May 2011 06:15 PM PDT

Koramgame, publisher of Call of Gods, has announced their next game, Indomitus.

Indomitus is an MMORTS based on the barbarian tribes of ancient Europe. Eight tribes (Frankish, Gothic, Gaelic, Hunnic, Vandal, Saxon, Viking, and Byzantine) will be available for choice, and players will have to fight against the Roman Empire and each other.

No beta or release dates have been announced for the game yet.

indomitus-warrior-art


Source:

Indomitus is coming, are you ready?

The release of Koramgame's newest free-to-play MMORTS, Indomitus, is looming on the horizon. Indomitus promises to stand out from the monotony of countless medieval and Roman themed browser games on the market. In addition to groundbreaking and epic MMORTS game play, Indomitus also offers an exciting, fresh new world for players to experience. Based on the barbarian invasions of ancient Europe, this savage and war-torn world is the perfect stage for the epic battles that await you.

In Indomitus, you will relive the wars and struggles of the barbarian tribes that have been forgotten by history. For centuries, the Roman Empire used all its might to push these tribes back to the dark, uncivilized corners of the world. Faced with the overwhelming Roman legions, tribe chieftains were forced to retreat ever further into the hinterlands of Europe and be forgotten. Corruption and political conflict have exposed chinks in the Roman defenses, and the barbarian tribes are ready for vengeance. Eight different tribes are preparing for the ultimate war of domination, and the fate of Europe hangs in the balance. Frankish, Gothic, Gaelic, Hunnic, Vandal, Saxon, Viking, and Byzantine tribes will struggle until only one remains standing. Only you can decide which tribe prevails.

In the twilight of Roman hegemony, the dawn of a new age of barbarians and warlords is at hand. It is your job to lead your barbarian tribe out of ignominy and unify all of Europe under your command. You will need to work together with thousands of teammates to capture enemy cities and expand your growing empire. The war will be savage and relentless as you wage city sieges with up to a thousand other players in a single battle and execute massive military strategies. Indomitus is coming, are you ready?

Excited about Indomitus? Keep an eye out for another gameplay and core content update next week!

Land of Chaos Online introduces Lacrimosa

Posted: 31 May 2011 05:29 PM PDT

Lacrimosa, the latest character to become playable in Land of Chaos Online, is now available.

Lacrimosa is one of the last remaining succubi of her kind, and has set out to get revenge on Nosferatu for destroying her family. Her stats are focused in DEX, INT, WIS, and MP.

Lords of Chaos Online is published by Alaplaya (burda:ic), which also publishes Avalon Heroes, S4 League, and Argo Online.

land_of_chaos_online_lacrimosa_screenshot_02

Land of Chaos Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

burda:ic, a leading publisher of online games worldwide, today introduced a brand-new character to RTS Action MMO LOCO – Land of Chaos Online: the sultry succubus Lacrimosa. Players who want to start luring opponents into Lacrimosa's dainty-yet-demonic clutches today can enter the battle-torn world of LOCO at http://loco.alaplaya.net/.

Succubi are known for their ability to enter dreams and turn pleasant visions into nightmares, sparking fear in a dreamer and siphoning the fear to enhance their power. Born from the corruption of the Apostles of Heaven, the humans of Hellia have feared the succubi in their region for centuries, but this all changed when Nosferatu destroyed the last of the demonic clan over 200 years ago. Since the supposed succubi extinction, humans have regarded the supernatural beings as nothing more than fables.

One member of the succubus clan, however, managed to escape Nosferatu's deadly rampage. Hiding away from the onslaught, Lacrimosa witnessed her entire family being slaughtered at the hands of the rival vampire and now, years later, she is exacting her revenge. After experimenting on countless animals and humans, Lacrimosa successfully created a powerful ally to assist her vengeful death wish but was betrayed by her creation when it escaped and told Nosferatu of Lacrimosa's whereabouts. After barely escaping a second attack by Nosferatu, Lacrimosa is now determined to finish the job herself and has entered the Land of Chaos to put an end to Nosferatu once and for all.

To learn more about Lacrimosa, check out the "Character Journal" at http://loco.alaplaya.net/pages/loco_book_character

To learn more about the battle-filled world of LOCO – Land of Chaos Online, visit the official site at: http://loco.alaplaya.net/

League of Legends Gameplay Video #2

Posted: 31 May 2011 04:38 PM PDT

To Learn More About the Game, Check out our League of Legends Page.

League of Legends is a 3D multiplayer online battle arena MMO published by Riot Games. Gameplay wise it is remarkably similar to Warcraft III’s enormously popular custom game ‘Defense of the Ancients (DotA)’ as well as S2 Game’s Heroes of Newerth. The video above is a full match with commentary (Heads up, it’s a cool 50+ mins). Other games similar to League of Legends include Avalon Heroes and Realm of the Titans. The game has an enormous amount of variety there are over 70 playable heroes with many more in development. In addition, players can further ‘customize’ their characters through the game’s ‘mastery’ system. Anyone who has played and enjoyed DotA will almost certainly love League of Legends, as the game offers much more than it’s Warcraft III counterpart. In the videos above, I simply joined a game and played through it, ending with a not-so-goo score. To learn more about League of Legends check out the official MMOHut League of Legends page, which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

Karma Online announces June closed beta

Posted: 31 May 2011 03:36 PM PDT

Joymax has announced that Karma Online: Prisoners of the Dead will launch its closed beta on June 7. The beta will run until June 21.

The client is available for download as of today for those who want to get a head start on downloading and installing the game. Players who register and log in during the closed beta can also have a chance to win the Golden VT40 Bayonet.

Joymax also publishes Silkroad Online.

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Karma Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

KARMA ONLINE: PRISONERS OF THE DEAD LOCKS ONTO CLOSED BETA TEST DATE

With The Launch of The Official Closed Beta Homepage Today, Players Should Prepare To Get Zombie-Proofed For Closed Beta Starting June 7th

Seoul, Korea, May 31, 2011 – Joymax, a leading online game developer and publisher, announced today that Karma Online: Prisoners of the Dead will open fire June 7thwhen its closed beta begins.  Those wanting to jump right into the game can download the client starting today by visiting the Karma Online: POD official website at http://www.joymax.com/karma/ so they can avoid the rush and be ready to play first thing on June 7th.

“We plan on a short but fruitful closed beta, and definitely look forward to player feedback,” said Joymax CEO, Nam-chul Kim. “It is a rare opportunity for FPS fans to dive into our complex system as they bond over taking out enemies and zombies and hopefully build strong relationships that will turn into clans as we lead into Open Beta and launch!”

The closed beta will run from June 7th to June 21st, so players will have a two full weeks to enjoy blasting both their opposing faction’s players as well as hordes of zombies waiting to prey on the weakest member of any team.  Players can use this time to experiment with different skill builds and weapons before deciding on a final set for open beta and beyond!

For a limited time, players who register with the Joymax portal at http://www.joymax.com/portal/ and log in to the KARMA beta will receive a weapons bonus for the Closed Beta Testing phase, the much-coveted Golden VT40 Bayonet, a knife that will slice even the most obstinate enemy.  Simply register and log in during the beta period to be awarded the bonus content.

Developed in conjunction with Dragonfly, and published by Joymax, KARMA
Online: Prisoners of the Dead is the newest installment in the KARMA Online series, the top online first-person shooter series in Korea.
Players go back in time to World War II, where they must choose to side with the Axis or Allied powers and join the fight for global victory – with a zombie twist.  In this virtual and historical simulation, players will be up against enemy troops as well as hundreds of the walking dead from the remains of the catastrophic battle.

To become a fan of Karma Online: Prisoners of the Dead, players can
visit http://www.facebook.com/#!/KarmaPOD or
http://twitter.com/karmapod and http://www.youtube.com/user/KarmaPOD
.  Players should also keep an eye on the Facebook and Twitter pages for download mirror options for the closed beta client.

Western patch arrives in Cross Fire

Posted: 31 May 2011 11:36 AM PDT

A new western-themed patch has been released for Z8Game’s Cross Fire.

The update adds a new elimination map, Tombstone, which features a deserted desert town. New weapons are the Rose Combat Axe, Rose Grenade, FR-F2, and Blue Smoke; along with the new Operation Set items that include Helmet A-Type, Protection Goggles, Radio Backpack, and a Compact Radio. The update also adds a new in-game messenger system.

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Cross Fire Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

CROSS FIRE KICKS THINGS UP A NOTCH WITH A WESTERN THEMED CONTENT UPDATE

Now Live, The Update Features New Weapons, A New “Tombstone” Map And A Whole Lot More

Toronto, CANADA – May 31, 2011 -G4Box Inc., a North American publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment media announced today it has launched its latest monthly content update for its online military shooter, Cross Fire.  The new patch is Western themed and offers an all-new elimination mode map, new in-game messenger system, new weapons and character items and new Cross Fire ribbons.  Players can experience all the fun at http://crossfire.z8games.com/ The new patch includes the following features:

.New Elimination Map – Tombstone
In dry, deserted desert town players must fight to be the last team standing in this dusty elimination map.  Players can pick up weapons at the start of the game and fight until ultimately one team is left standing in the dust.

.New Weapons – Rose Axe
This axe variant is more than just a thorn in your enemy’s side!  New weapons include: Rose Combat Axe (Knife) (ZP Rose Crate), Rose Grenade (ZP Rose Crate), FR-F2 (Sniper) (ZP FR-F2 Crate); Blue Smoke (GP)

.New Items – Operation Set
Available only to players of higher levels, these new items give players extra experience and a sleek new look.  Operation Set items include Helmet A-Type, Protection Goggles, Radio Backpack and Compact Radio.

.New In-Game Messenger System
Players can send a limited number of messages to communicate with their friends and clan-mates to organize matches and correspond.

“This fun western-themed patch features a massive amount of cool new content from weapons to maps, items and more,” said Jason Yang, CEO of G4Box Inc. “Cross Fire players are already burning up the forums talking about all the fun new content.”

Cross Fire is a free online military first-person shooter for Windows PCs. Players assume the role of either a Black List or Global Risk operative and compete in various modes of play including Team Death Match, the Mutant infested Mutation Mode, attack and defend Escape Mode, and the exclusive stealth-action Ghost Mode. Cross Fire includes a military ranking system, in-game friends lists, an integrated clan system, deep character customization options and social media integration via the Cross Fire website. Cross Fire is part of the Z8Games platform of free-to-play games.

Cross Fire is free-to-download-and-play. Visit the Cross Fire homepage
at: http://crossfire.z8games.com
For more information about G4BOX visit www.g4box.com.  For more information about the Z8Games lineup of games please visit www.z8games.com.

BlackShot releases Second World War update

Posted: 31 May 2011 11:06 AM PDT

BlackShot Europe has released its latest update, The Second World War.

The update adds new realism to characters, a new multi-weapon system where players can choose their weapons mid-battle, and new items from the World War II era. From June 2 through June 5, players will also get boosts to experience and points, as well as be able to find vouchers in-game for great new items.

BlackShot is published by TwoWar.

blackshot-graphic

BlackShot Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

BlackShot Europe: The Second World War Release


eFusion MMOG has announced that their latest game update for BlackShot Europe "The Second World War" has been officially released.

The update provides special items to let players experience the Second World War's atmosphere
and new exciting features. New, more realistic characters and a brand new multi-weapon-system, granting players
more versatility and flexibility in choosing their weapons, are available.
Moreover, eFusion MMOG will drop vouchers in-game, containing great items to enjoy the new features and content
in addition to a boost in experience and points for every player from June 2nd until 5th.

Perfect World signs agreement to acquire Cryptic

Posted: 30 May 2011 10:06 PM PDT

A new announcement has been released that Perfect World Entertainment, publisher of Perfect World, Jade Dynasty, Battle of the Immortals, Heroes of Three Kingdoms, and Forsaken World, has entered an agreement to acquire Cryptic Studios, publisher of Champions Online and Star Trek Online, from its parent company, Atari.

The deal hasn’t closed yet, but this leaves an interesting opening for Cryptic Studios to continue to produce free-to-play MMOs with Perfect World’s guidance. It may also mean that Star Trek Online may transition to free-to-play as well, assuming the acquisition goes through without problems.

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Champions Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Perfect World and Atari Announce Agreement for the Acquisition of Cryptic Studios

BEIJING, May 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ — Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD) (“Perfect World”), a leading online game developer and operator based in China, and Atari, S.A. (NYSE Euronext Paris: ATA) (“Atari”), today announced that they have entered into an agreement whereby Perfect World would acquire 100% equity interest in Cryptic Studios, Inc. (“Cryptic Studios”), a California-based online game developer from Atari, the sole shareholder of Cryptic Studios. Under the stock purchase agreement, Perfect World will pay an aggregate purchase price of approximately EUR35.0 million in cash, subject to working capital and other adjustments as provided in the agreement. The consummation of the transactions contemplated in the agreement is subject to satisfaction of closing conditions.

“We are very pleased to sign the agreement to acquire Cryptic Studios,” commented Mr. Michael Chi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Perfect World. “This strategic acquisition will add attractive game titles to our portfolio, which will help us further penetrate into the U.S. and global online game markets.  More importantly, Cryptic Studios’ highly reputable development team and its technology platform will further strengthen our well-established R&D capabilities.  We deem this as another noteworthy achievement of our global expansion efforts.”

“With the acquisition by Perfect World, Cryptic has found a strong platform for continued expansion into free to play business model and growth in the global marketplace,” said Jim Wilson, CEO of Atari. “The divestiture of Cryptic is in line with Atari’s continued focus on key owned and third-party strategic franchises and expansion into emerging game platforms.”
Posted by Shri Krishna
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