MMO Updates

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• The Secret World unveils Atlantic Island Park
• First Impressions: Eden Eternal
• Lost Pages of Taborea: How will Chapter 4's content affect PUGs, gear, and the economy?
• Hang out with Massively (and Joystiq) at the E3 2011 reader meetup
• Get a head start on Season 6 of Mu Online with our closed beta key giveaway!
• MV Guide: June 6 - 12, 2011
• The Daily Grind: How much time do you spend reading about games when not playing?
• Week in Review: Fun with acquisitions and mergers
• EVE Evolved: Building a better UI
• One Shots: Well worth the time and effort
• Jagex shares more details about Transformers Universe
• Rise and Shiny recap: Faxion Online
• Hellgate beta videos show off character creation, gameplay

The Secret World unveils Atlantic Island Park Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Secret World Funcom may not be previewing The Secret World at this week's E3 convention in Los Angeles, but you can bet on a couple of reveals designed to keep the horror-conspiracy MMORPG fresh on everyone's mind. First up is a new location blurb update on the game's official website. Atlantic Island Park is a creepy-crawly outdoor area oozing with dread atmosphere. Originally built in the 1970s by industrial tycoon Nathaniel Winter, the place was beset by freak accidents and ghostly sightings from the beginning. Kingsmouth locals opposed the construction due to the dark history of the Henderson farm, on which the park was built, but development continued. Apparently, so did a blood curse, night terrors, and various and sundry scream-inducing phenomena. Check out the details on the official website. The Secret World unveils Atlantic Island Park originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

First Impressions: Eden Eternal Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Free-to-play, First Impressions Hello, Massively readers, and welcome to my first ever first impressions article. Are you excited!? No? Well, feign interest for me anyway, and be gentle! Today, I've been asked to take a look at the currently-in-closed-beta Eden Eternal from Aeria Games, and you all have front-row seats for the grand tour. Now, I don't know about y'all, but I tend to be highly skeptical in regard to free-to-play games such as this one. I'm sure at least some of you know what I mean -- anime-inspired graphics, microtransaction-based, each with the same instantly recognizable website layout. With this in mind, I wasn't expecting much when I first logged in to Eden Eternal. I was anticipating, at best, some limited character customization, poorly translated quests, and a whole lot of grinding that could only be alleviated by shelling out for upgrades in the cash shop. What did I find instead? Jump past the cut to find out. Continue reading First Impressions: Eden Eternal First Impressions: Eden Eternal originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lost Pages of Taborea: How will Chapter 4's content affect PUGs, gear, and the economy? Posted: 06 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Opinion, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic, Lost Pages of Taborea In nine agonizing days, the lands will despair as Chapter 4 hits Runes of Magic with all the force of a horde of zombies unleashed upon the TED conference. There'll be zombies, there'll be Dwarves, and oh yeah, there'll be world battlefields. I'm not sure what that last one will entail, but it sounds cool, doesn't it? There's going to be some changes a comin' in RoM when the level cap is raised and new loot is dispersed among high-level players. MMOs can develop ecosystems that only the most in-tune players will be intimately familiar with. While you might be new to the game and happy enough to just quest or dabble in the many features RoM has to offer, there's a posh, red, velvety lounge filled with high-rollers keeping tabs on how new items and stats will trickle down to affect the game. A new level cap means new armor, which means current top gear will be obsolete for said high rollers. Welfare epics will be unleashed on the market, prices will change, and the race for better gear will commence. This week on Lost Pages of Taborea, I want to look at how new content and items will affect the game. How will all the new items affect the economy? How will new dungeons affect pick-up-groups? And will we ever see a Screaming Gargoyle as a pet? Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: How will Chapter 4's content affect PUGs, gear, and the economy? Lost Pages of Taborea: How will Chapter 4's content affect PUGs, gear, and the economy? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hang out with Massively (and Joystiq) at the E3 2011 reader meetup Posted: 06 Jun 2011 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Giveaways, Miscellaneous So E3 is coming up, and you what that means: games booze! If you've done the convention circuit before, you know that listening to PR reps and watching multiple presentations on the greatest-game-in-the-history-of-games pales in comparison to the opportunity to indulge in a bit of pub-crawling with industry types. If you're over 21 and a fan of Massively, Joystiq, or WoW Insider, you'll want to mark Friday, June 10th on your party-going calendar. The Joystiq crew will be taking over the La Cita bar in downtown Los Angeles for a swag-filled shindig sure to please the most discriminating gamer. And if not, hey, you can always drink with us. Hang out with Massively (and Joystiq) at the E3 2011 reader meetup originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Get a head start on Season 6 of Mu Online with our closed beta key giveaway! Posted: 06 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Contests, Free-to-play, Giveaways Season 6 is coming to Mu Online, and it's even bigger than most fans expected! The update was delayed this spring due to the natural disasters in Japan, as Mu Online's global network systems pass through that country. Work on Season 6 had to go on the back burner while more crucial repairs were made, but everything is up and running now and Season 6 is ready for beta! This update features the introduction of the new Rage Fighter class, so even if you're familiar with all things Mu this will prove an exciting addition for you! If you're interested in checking out the new content, we've got a closed beta key for you to do that very thing. Just visit our giveaway page to pick up your key, then create an account if you haven't yet. After that, head to the beta page to redeem your key, and enjoy Season 6! Get a head start on Season 6 of Mu Online with our closed beta key giveaway! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

MV Guide: June 6 - 12, 2011 Posted: 06 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Livestream, Miscellaneous, MV Guide MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, Livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week! Continue reading MV Guide: June 6 - 12, 2011 MV Guide: June 6 - 12, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: How much time do you spend reading about games when not playing? Posted: 06 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Humor, Miscellaneous Congratulations -- by coming to Massively, you're already ahead of the average MMO player curve. No, really. Most people stop thinking about Guild Wars as soon as the game client is closed. But you're busy browsing a site for more news and opinions about the game. (Substitute another game as appropriate, naturally.) You're clearly invested in MMOs as a whole. The question then becomes just how invested you really are, because there's a lot of difference between browsing Massively idly during your lunch break and religiously scouring every site you can for the best possible character builds. Maybe you just like reading opinions about a game, maybe you spend a little time every day reading about your games of choice, or maybe you try to make sure to assemble a laundry list of must-read blogs and sites about your favorite MMO. So which is it? Whether you play Ultima Online or Star Trek Online, how much time do you spend reading about your game outside of the actual game? Do you ever find yourself enjoying reading about the game more than the game itself? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind! The Daily Grind: How much time do you spend reading about games when not playing? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Week in Review: Fun with acquisitions and mergers Posted: 05 Jun 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Massively meta, Week in Review, Miscellaneous At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. Miss a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week? You've come to the right post. On the eve of this year's E3, a number of MMOs and MMO companies are in limbo, struggling for solvency and partnering up with F2P publishers. Fallen Earth's new special relationship with GamersFirst, well-known for its popular F2P titles and resurrection of All Points Bulletin, prompted even our own Fallen Earth guru to wonder whether the wastelands are due for a freemium makeover. Abandoned by Atari, Cryptic Studios has been snapped up by Perfect World Entertainment, another successful F2P distributor; our Star Trek Online and Champions Online columnists offered tentative cheers for the new owners (and the possibility of a free-to-play STO). And Interplay, still beleaguered by legal battles over Fallout Online, now teeters on the brink of bankruptcy. Will it take a F2P bailout to save FO? Join me past the cut for even more of this week's top MMO stories! Continue reading Week in Review: Fun with acquisitions and mergers Week in Review: Fun with acquisitions and mergers originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Evolved: Building a better UI Posted: 05 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, EVE Evolved It's no secret that EVE Online has a poor user interface. With its drop-down menus for interacting with objects and text lists to show information like market orders and nearby objects in space, EVE has thoroughly earned the nickname "spreadsheets in space." The UI has changed drastically since I started playing in 2004, but in recent years, it's fallen behind the development curve. In a new devblog this week, CCP Snowlax suggested that the UI developers at CCP have lacked the framework necessary to do what they wanted with it. The existing framework had become bloated with eight years of development, and the underlying rendering engine wasn't even capable of using custom shaders. With Incursion 1.6, CCP pushed live a completely new UI framework that makes cool features like holographic UI elements possible. With the new Carbon UI framework in place, developers are taking another look at redesigning the EVE user interface. Screenshots of the new features being used in the upcoming Incarna expansion are impressive, but that's all taking place inside stations. I can't help but wonder how these new technologies could be applied to the space-faring portion of EVE and whether there are more fundamental challenges to overcome in UI design than adding flashy graphics. In this week's EVE Evolved, I give some thoughts on the development of EVE's UI, from the necessary evil of the overview to some things I'd like to see change. Continue reading EVE Evolved: Building a better UI EVE Evolved: Building a better UI originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

One Shots: Well worth the time and effort Posted: 05 Jun 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, One Shots Mount week on One Shots wraps up with a Vanguard image from Stargrace: This is my favorite mount and the one I spent the most amount of time in obtaining: a galleon. These ships are simply amazing. Aside from being incredibly complex to craft (it requires raiding to get the recipes), they also use a lot of supplies, which change depending on which continent you're building. For example, a Kojani galleon would require 590 dusky timber, 5 umber, 30 knotted, 98 mithril, and 135 vielthread. If it were as simple as that, we'd all be sailing them, but no. Those raw bits need to be crafted into 1 kojani large mast pole, 2 kojani medium mast poles, 3 kojani galleon mast mounts, 3 kojani large sails, and 2 large mast riggings. Then you need a large mast pole, a galleon rudder, a galleon hull section, galleon hull, galleon deck section, a galleon deck, a cabin, and a figurehead, and that doesn't include the fact that you need to be a minimum level 48 carpenter, know all three caravel recipes, be Ancient Port Warehouse-keyed, with 2 plat per continent learned. Whew! Tomorrow begins foe week here at One Shots! Send a pic of the funniest, most strangely designed, or scariest enemy you've taken on in an MMO to oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game. Tell us a little about the foe and we'll share it here on One Shots! Gallery: One Shots: 2011 One Shots: Well worth the time and effort originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Jagex shares more details about Transformers Universe Posted: 05 Jun 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Interviews, New titles, News items, Browser, Kids Amidst all of the toy previews and Hall of Fame inductions at this year's BotCon, there's another element for fans -- an early look at Transformers Universe, the upcoming MMO developed by Jagex. And while the game is certainly not in a playable state just yet, the fine team at Tformers.com has put together a video interview with executive producer Kris Jones, showing off the early stages of character creation and discussing the game's future for development. Transformers Universe is confirmed to take place within the current "Prime" continuity, but as Jones explains, the staff has been working closely with Hasbro to try to include as many signature characters as possible from the franchise's 27-year history. There's talk about hundreds of different parts for characters to choose between for customization as well as the possibility of fans uploading parts and decals to help personalize individual Transformers. Prospective fans should take a look at the full interview -- it's an early look but the sort of thing that should be of significant interest to longtime franchise enthusiasts. Jagex shares more details about Transformers Universe originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rise and Shiny recap: Faxion Online Posted: 05 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Launches, Opinion, Humor, Rise and Shiny I've been following Faxion Online for quite a while. Aww, I remember when it was just a cute little game in development, back when I visited the UTV True Games studio for a tour during GDC Online last year. The team was very passionate about its product, and there was obviously a lot of talent at work behind the scenes. One of the comments I made then (and that I will always remember) is that the devs all seemed like a bunch of gamers -- they appeared to have a love for what they were doing and truly seemed to believe in the game. They also talked about how a lot of MMO development took several years and the budget of a small country. I agreed with them on that. So they wanted to create their game in a much shorter time period yet have it still feature free-to-play accessibility along with old-school PvP. It was a tall order, especially considering the time frame they were looking at. Again, though, the team seemed capable of pulling it off. But did it? I spent half a week (I will explain later) in the game, and my impressions are right past the cut. Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Faxion Online Rise and Shiny recap: Faxion Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hellgate beta videos show off character creation, gameplay Posted: 05 Jun 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Horror, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Hellgate: London, Free-to-play Horror fans and MMOFPS aficionados have been setting their clocks back a few years courtesy of this weekend's Hellgate closed beta event. You may recall the original Hellgate: London as something of a dud when it originally debuted in the winter of 2007. Not to worry, though, since HanbitSoft and T3Fun have revived the franchise and converted it to a new free-to-play title called Hellgate Global. MMO Culture has a trio of videos chronicling this weekend's event, and you can glimpse character creation as well as a bit of the shooter's demon-slaying gameplay. Hellgate intrigued us with its blend of action-horror and apocalyptic stylings the first time around, and we're just as curious for chapter two. Have a look at the videos after the break and share your thoughts on the beta while you're at it. Continue reading Hellgate beta videos show off character creation, gameplay Hellgate beta videos show off character creation, gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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General gaming

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• 1UP's Red Faction: Armageddon Giveaway
• E3 2011 Gallery: The Day Before the Big Show
• Postcards from E3 2011: Scooter Meets Skyrim Ad
• Postcards from E3 2011: Diglett is Sick of Your Crap
• Postcards from E3 2011: Tina's Fake Birthday
• Kinect Star Wars Works Just Like You Expect

1UP's Red Faction: Armageddon Giveaway Posted: 06 Jun 2011 07:01 AM PDT 1UP's Red Faction: Armageddon Giveaway How To Play Red Faction: Armageddon not only takes the Red Faction franchise further - it takes gaming itself further!

E3 2011 Gallery: The Day Before the Big Show Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:28 AM PDT THE DAY BEFORE E3 2011 Gallery: The Day Before the Big Show Get a quick look around the convention center the day before E3. By Jose Otero, 06/06/2011       Share it: Tweet Page 1 of 11   VIEW AS: SLIDESHOWLIST Take a quick tour through the L.A. Convention Center and see what E3 is like the day before the show.

Postcards from E3 2011: Scooter Meets Skyrim Ad Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:35 AM PDT You've probably seen the news story for the huge ad for Skyrim that Bethesda posted in Los Angeles, but you probably weren't as excited as Scooter was when he saw it. They'll be plenty of demos and surprise moments during the course of E3 2011, and you can read about them right here on the site. Shenanigans will ensue at this year's show and plenty of companies will make exciting announcements. But this awesome moment was brought to you by one man.

Postcards from E3 2011: Diglett is Sick of Your Crap Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:09 AM PDT Spotted on an otherwise unremarkable wall in downtown Los Angeles today as the 1UP staff was walking from Little Tokyo to the L.A. Convention Center to pick up our E3 badges:

Postcards from E3 2011: Tina's Fake Birthday Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:00 AM PDT After a long day of checking in and walking around Los Angeles for E3 2011, Tina decided to declare today as her birthday. If you know Tina, you know this 'birthday' isn't the real thing, but the funny part was that it paid off -- the restaurant staff brought her dessert. Sure, they'll be more important news over the next few days, but it's fun to share some of the other stuff that happens at E3. And if that's not valuable to you, know this -- at least declaring a fake birthday can get you something for free.

Kinect Star Wars Works Just Like You Expect Posted: 05 Jun 2011 07:44 PM PDT Ahead of Microsoft's E3 media briefing tomorrow morning, some early details regarding the Star Wars game for Kinect announced at last year's E3 have been released. Officially known as Kinect Star Wars, we know it should be coming during the holiday season later this year. According to Entertainment Weekly, the game will play just as you'd expect -- players use their hands to mimic things like swinging a lightsaber, using the Force (lifting/throwing objects is mentioned, but no word on more devious Sith powers like Force Lightning), or piloting an X-Wing or podracer. Support for a second player will be included, as will voice control, the purpose of which isn't being elaborated on yet. "What we found early in development is that [no one wants] to look like 'Star Wars kid' in front of [their] friends," said LucasArts lead producer Craig Derrick. "If I am doing these actions, and if I am seeing the character on screen repeating those actions, I want to look bad-ass. We decided to augment the animation, so when I sweep my hand right to left with my lightsaber, it's going to look cool. That was a major challenge and it works."

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MMO updates

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The Weekend Journal Posted: 05 Jun 2011 08:45 AM PDT This week passed extremely fast. And I mean incredibly fast. There is nothing much this week to be honest, let's see... Well, E3 2011 is around the corner and this year, many online gaming companies (even from Korea and China) will be taking part in the event. There will be the usual Pay to Play fare like The Old Republic and TERA, while the the Free to Play contingent will be most probably headlined by Perfect World Entertainment. PWE publishing a sci-fi online shooter? I think many were in a minor shock when the new was announced. I knew I was! Other than that, the best thing to happen this week was the revival of Hellgate. Man, if I was a lesser guy I would have cried buckets of joy... Hellgate is really awesome and in my opinion, a great combination of different genres (FPS + TPS + RPG). It is a pity as the following weeks will be very packed for me. I pray I have the time to play some during Open Beta. There is nothing much going on in my personal life... It was gaming + taking videos + gaming etc for me as I await the start of my new job. If you are reading this, I will like to gather some feedback from you guys. What elements or features do you think are missing from online games' websites, ones which can actually be implemented and provide convenience to the community? For example, a clock displaying the server time. Please post here or email to me! Thank you and enjoy your week ahead!

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MMORPG News

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• Black Prophecy: Mini Story Contest
• Aika: Patch Notes - June 02, 2011
• Firefall: Firefall Releases Convention Schedule
• Salem: Former Battlefield Producer Hired by Paradox Interactive
• Lord of the Rings Online: 12 Month VIP For $99.99

Black Prophecy: Mini Story Contest Posted: 05 Jun 2011 10:56 AM PDT Black Prophecy players, it seems as though the development team is having a contest! Do you have a hankering to write down a piece of your character's story, in character? Well guess what! Now is your chance! The short fiction contest began on June 3rd and runs until the 17th. Check out the details.

Aika: Patch Notes - June 02, 2011 Posted: 05 Jun 2011 10:42 AM PDT The Aika team has released the full patch notes for last week's patch over on their website. A fairly substantial patch, players will want to check out all of the details.

Firefall: Firefall Releases Convention Schedule Posted: 05 Jun 2011 10:20 AM PDT The team over at Red 5 studios have announced their upcoming convention schedule for show season. While they aren't going to be at E3 next week, they do have a few upcoming appearances that could prove interesting to those watching the progress of the game. Check it out!

Salem: Former Battlefield Producer Hired by Paradox Interactive Posted: 05 Jun 2011 10:13 AM PDT Paradox Interactive has announced that former Battlefield Franchise Producer, Gordon Van Dyke, has joined the Paradox team and it seems as though one of the games under Van Dyke's watch is going to be the forthcoming crafting MMO, Salem. Check it out!

Lord of the Rings Online: 12 Month VIP For $99.99 Posted: 05 Jun 2011 09:43 AM PDT The folks over at LotRO have announced a super special deal for anyone who's looking to be a VIP subscriber of Lord of the Rings Online. Invest in a full year for only $99.99, an almost $80 discount from the month-by-month payments of $14.99 a month. Check it out!

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MMOGaming News

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• Luvinia Online Closed Beta Sign-Ups Begin!
• Recommended MMOs in June 2011
• SWTOR Shocks Us with a New Trailer for E3 2011

Luvinia Online Closed Beta Sign-Ups Begin! Posted: Outspark, the destination for MMO gamers, is launching signups for the highly anticipated fantasy MMO, Luvinia Online, coming online this summer and offering a glimpse of special content and events to come.

Recommended MMOs in June 2011 Posted: In June, Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising, a subscription-based game will be released, and we'll finally see a new P2P MMORPG in the market.

SWTOR Shocks Us with a New Trailer for E3 2011 Posted: E3 starts next week, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is more than prepared. The developers at BioWare released a brand-new trailer via GameSpot that teases everything we will see coming out of the expo.

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General Gaming Article

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• Intel Reaffirms Its Commitment To The Atom Platform
• Google Engineers Hide BSOD Easter Egg Inside CR-48
• Office 365 Launches on June 28th, And Why It Matters

Intel Reaffirms Its Commitment To The Atom Platform Posted: 05 Jun 2011 11:31 AM PDT Intel's new found commitment to Ultrabooks might lead you to believe they are giving up on the Atom market, but the company used its forum at Computex to reassure the media that the platform is not just alive and well, but evolving quickly. According to Intel's Executive Vice President Sean Maloney, Atom will continue to be an important processor platform for future Netbooks, tablets, and even Smartphones.  To reach this goal Intel will continue to invest heavily in R&D on the ultra mobile CPU, and forecast three separate die shrinks over a three-year time span. The plan is to transition from 32nm, to 22nm, and eventually 14nm as quickly as possible. Further improvements will also be made to address transistor leakage, lower the overall power consumption, and increase transistor density at a rate that should outpace Moore's Law.  It's difficult to imagine a future where our phones are rocking an Intel Atom, but sign me up for a netbook with all day battery life and decent performance.

Google Engineers Hide BSOD Easter Egg Inside CR-48 Posted: 05 Jun 2011 10:27 AM PDT Google's engineers are known for having a somewhat unique sense of humor, but this CR-48 Easter Egg is a pretty hilarious shot across Microsoft's bow. An intrepid young developer by the name of Brad Wells discovered a series of clues spread across the web, which when analyzed carefully, allowed him to uncover a fake blue screen of death. Hidden within the error code he also discovered message from the Chrome OS development team. According to his blog post, Brad began his search on LinkedIn after taking up the challenge left by Chrome OS developer Bill Richardson. In Richardson's profile he noticed a project entry for "Integrated Lights Out Management" (ILOM). A simple Google search for "ILOM easter eggs" uncovered an odd-looking command titled "xyzzy". According to Wikipedia "Xyzzy is a magic word from the Colossal Cave Adventure computer game. In computing, the word is sometimes used as a metasyntactic variable or as a video game cheat code, the canonical "magic word". In mathematics, the word is used as a mnemonic for the cross product". Brad went on to discover that if he typed "Xyzzy" into his CR-48 during boot, he was greeted with a hexadecimal message that could be converted to English using ASCII characters. "Greetings from the Chrome OS x86 firmware team. This message is brought to you by Randall, Bill, Vadim, Gaurav, and Kelly. Also by the letter G and the number 42. If you've enjoyed this gadget, please join us at http://www.chromium.org to help make it even better. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program, already in progress. No animals were harmed in the production of this message. Apply only to affected area. Cape does not enable wearer to fly. Contents may have settled during shipment. Use no hooks." I never would have found this in a million years, so kudos to Brad Wells on the discovery!

Office 365 Launches on June 28th, And Why It Matters Posted: 05 Jun 2011 09:18 AM PDT Microsoft has confirmed it is holding an invitation only Office 365 launch party in New York on June 28th, and CEO Steve Ballmer will be in attendance to head up the marching band. It might sound like a lot of pomp and circumstance for the release of yet another new productivity suite, but trust us when we say this marks a pretty significant milestone for how Microsoft does business. Microsoft offers a ton of cloud services, but most of these have a very experimental feel to them, and more often than not they are typically free. Microsoft has been very careful up to this point to not cannibalize their core products such as Windows and Office, even in the face of competition from Google Apps who have been aggressively targeting their customers. Office 365 is really just the evolution of their BPOS services suite, but this time it is being aggressively marketed as an alternative to a traditional Office implementation, rather than simply a complementary service. In the consumer space rolling out updated software is simple. Enthusiasts will always want the latest and greatest, and the rest of us will simply buy whatever looks reasonable when upgrading to a new PC. In the world of big business however, upgrading software becomes a much more complicated proposition. Many IT departments to this very day are still rolling out Windows XP with Office 2003 pre-installed simply because that's what everyone else at the company uses. The last thing IT departments want to worry about is support calls on what a .docx file is, or why someone can't find an option on the ribbon that was in Office 2007, but not 2010. Not to mention the challenges involved in upgrading Office versions on thousands of remote machines should they choose to standardize on the latest and greatest every 3 years. Office 365 promises to solve these problems for business of all sizes, and what we've seen so far looks promising. It will offer a per seat license that is custom tailored for the individual needs of each employee. A license for the receptionist for example might only unlock email and Office web apps, while the CEO's copy might include all of this plus web conferencing, instant messaging, and even a full copy of Office 2010 Professional Plus. Microsoft takes care of the server hosting, and keeps all local and remote users fully updated with the latest and greatest features as time goes on.     Microsoft is beginning the slow transformation from a software company to a services company, and if successful here, expect to see this business model make its way into Windows.

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