General Gaming Article

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• Native Gmail App Finally Headed To iOS?
• Google Makes Gmail Redesign Official, Try It Now
• DVD Streaming Company Zediva Ordered to Close For Good
• Dell XPS 14z Ready to Rumble with MacBook Pro
• 3TB Seagate Barracuda Review
• Internet Explorer Slips Closer to 50 Percent Browser Market Share
• Mobile OS Revolution: Android 4, Windows Phone 7.5, and Apple iOS 5 Explained
• AMD Catalyst 11.10 Drivers Now Available for Download
• Third Quarter Graphics Shipments Climb Nearly 17 Percent
• Condescending Apple Genius Says iPhones Get Stressed Out, Need R&R

Native Gmail App Finally Headed To iOS? Posted: 01 Nov 2011 03:05 PM PDT Apparently the Gmail team has been hard at work on more than just the redesign. According to MG Siegler, Google has submitted a Gmail iPhone app to Apple for review. The lack of true Gmail support on the iOS platform has been a sore spot for users of the platform since it was released in 2007. Apparently, the wait is almost over. Google has in the past developed solid mobile versions of its apps for use with iOS, but a native app could include extras like offline sync, priority inbox, and push notifications. Those that have used the app report that it works surprisingly well, and has a ton of features. Apple has occasionally given Google a hard time over it apps, for instance the Google Voice app which took Apple a year to approve.  Android has long been the home of the premium Gmail experience. It might speak to now confident Google in in Android's future that it is willing to bring this killer feature to the iPhone. Do you think it's a good move for Google?

Google Makes Gmail Redesign Official, Try It Now Posted: 01 Nov 2011 02:49 PM PDT After giving Google users a few months to get accustomed to the ongoing redesign of Google services, Mountain View has unleashed the designers on the one and only Gmail. The new Gmail UI is similar to the preview theme released in July, but makes better use of negative space. If you've seen the Reader, Docs, and Calendar redesigns, you'll know what to expect. To switch to the new look now, just click the link to that effect in the lower right corner of the Gmail window. You'll get a nice video preview of the changes, as well as the option to switch back. The new Conversation view has been simplified, and the entire inbox area re-sizes with the window. The new search box has multiple fields for the various parts of the message, and there is even a field to exclude terms. Google has also updated some of the most popular themes to take advantage of the new, sharper style. These so-called "HD" themes are available in the settings page, but classic themes are still there as well. How do you feel about the new Gmail.

DVD Streaming Company Zediva Ordered to Close For Good Posted: 01 Nov 2011 02:32 PM PDT Zediva thought it had things all figured out. Allow users to rent a DVD player in a data center someplace with a hot new release movie in the slot, then stream them the output from the DVD player. Zediva claimed that was no different than the consumer renting the disc themselves. The courts didn't agree and have now upheld a preliminary injunction and shut Zediva down for good. The company has also been ordered to pay the MPAA $1.8 million. The judge in the case ruled on Friday that Zediva had not, in fact, found a loophole in copyright law that would allow them to stream any film in existence. Zediva never acquired streaming licenses, which Hollywood is famously reluctant to issue. By skipping the licensing deals, the company was able to charge just $1.99 per rental.  Certainly Zediva had to expect a legal challenge, but the service had barely gotten off the ground before it was cut down, and now the judgement is permanent. Did you ever use Zediva? is this a great loss for the internet, or just another hair-brained scheme down the tubes?

Dell XPS 14z Ready to Rumble with MacBook Pro Posted: 01 Nov 2011 12:40 PM PDT Dell's ultrathin, ultraportable, or ultra-whatever-you-want-call-it (just don't call it an Ultrabook) XPS 14z is now available for sale in several configurations starting at $1,000. Dell's pitching this as "the world's thinnest, fully featured laptop with a built-in DVD player" and it figures to give Apple's MacBook Pro a run for its money in both form and function (as well as price). The XPS 14z is a little bigger than a Ultrabook and doesn't come standard with a solid state drive, hence why it doesn't qualify for the label. Nevertheless, the 14z measures 0.9mm thin and sports some respectable hardware for the money. The $1,000 model features a 14-inch 720p display, Intel Core i5 2430M (2.4GHz) processor, 6GB of DDR3-1333 memory, 500GB SATA hard drive spinning at 7200 RPM, Intel HD Graphics 3000, 8x slot-load DVD burner, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. There are other configurations to choose from, culminating in a $1,600 model that includes an Intel Core i7 2640M (2.8GHz) processor, 8GB of DDR3-1333 memory, 256GB SSD, and Nvidia GT 520M graphics with 1GB of video memory. All other specs remain the same. As for the MacBook Pro, Apple recently (and quietly) rolled out a handful of updates in the form of faster processors, bigger hard drives, and beefier graphics on select models. The XPS 14z still offers better overall specs for less money, but the disparity isn't huge, which puts platform agnostic folks in a tough spot trying to pick one over the other. Dell XPS 14z Product Page Image Credit: Dell

3TB Seagate Barracuda Review Posted: 01 Nov 2011 12:05 PM PDT Three platters, three terabytes Since time began, man has looked at four- and five-platter 3TB hard drives and dared to say, "That's cool, but when will we get hard drives with one terabyte per platter?" Man is impossible to please. Nevertheless, drive makers have cracked the 1TB-per-platter limit, and this year we'll see 4- and 5TB drives, and even one-platter 1TB drives. The first 1TB/platter drive to cross our bench, though, is Seagate's new 3TB Barracuda. This is the first from Seagate's simplified consumer 3.5-inch drive lineup. The LP and XT brands, for "green" and "enthusiast," respectively, are gone. In fact, Seagate has entirely phased out 5,400rpm and "green" drives. The Barracuda lineup now consists exclusively of 7,200rpm drives with 6Gb/s SATA controllers. The 2- and 3TB models use three platters, the 1.5TB version uses two, and the 1TB and lesser-capacity drives all use one. Increased areal density allows for faster read and write speeds, which should mean a faster drive. Does it? Although this is a 7,200rpm drive, Seagate hasn't given it the "XT" branding; it's just a Barracuda. It does. On our Sandy Bridge test bed, the 3TB Barracuda had average sequential read speeds higher than 155MB/s, with max sequential read speeds of 200MB/s. Average sequential write speeds were higher than 150MB/s. The two 7,200rpm 3TB drives we reviewed in July 2011—Seagate's Barracuda XT and Hitachi's Deskstar 7K3000—were both slower, by around 30MB/s. Random-access times for the three-platter drives were less than 15ms—speedy for a mechanical drive, although nowhere near the 0.1ms random-access times an SSD will post. In our Premiere Pro encoding benchmark, the three-platter Barracuda lagged slightly behind the five-platter Deskstar, and both five-platter drives bested the three-platter model in PCMark Vantage. As with all drives higher than 2.2TB, you'll need a motherboard with UEFI, the ability to make GPT partitions, and a 64-bit operating system in order to create a bootable 3TB partition on your drive. If you don't meet those criteria, you can use Seagate's included DiscWizard software to help create multiple partitions. Or you can use Disk Management in the control panel, as the gods intended. Most Maximum PC users will opt to use their 3TB drives as storage volumes anyway, and you don't need UEFI to create 3TB non-booting partitions in Windows. If you can find it at its MSRP of $180, the three-platter 3TB drive is a steal, combining sustained speeds of over 150MB/s with, well, three terabytes of storage. But given the hard drive shortages forecasted due to this autumn's flooding in Thailand, supplies could be tight and street prices much higher. Nov 1 Note: Initial MSRP was $180 on our reviewer's guide; we're seeing reports now that it could be as high as $210, likely due to the aforementioned shortages. $180, www.seagate.com

Internet Explorer Slips Closer to 50 Percent Browser Market Share Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:47 AM PDT With few exceptions, Microsoft's share of the browser market has been steadily declining since at least November 2009, which is how far back Net Marketshare lets us look. Back then, Microsoft's Internet Explorer was the dominant browser on desktops with a 64.46 percent share. And today? It's still dominant with a 52.63 percent share of the market, but the gap is quickly narrowing. At this point, it seems likely IE will eventually give up the lead, but to which browser? By the numbers, Mozilla's Firefox is the closest threat with a 22.51 percent share at the end of October, which is up slightly from 22.48 percent in September, but down from 25.05 percent in November 2009. Google Chrome is where the smart money is at, at least if forced to pick an eventual winner today. Chrome has seen a greater than four-fold increase in usage since November 2009 when it held a 3.98 percent share, and with the exception of June 2010 to July 2010, has grown its desktop browser market share every single month. Chrome now accounts for 17.62 percent of all desktop browsers, an increase of 1.42 percentage points from one month prior. Which browser(s) are you using these days?

Mobile OS Revolution: Android 4, Windows Phone 7.5, and Apple iOS 5 Explained Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:45 AM PDT It's been a busy month for three of our favorite mobile platforms. Microsoft launched "Mango" in late September, Apple released iOS 5 on October 12, and Google announced the long-awaited Ice Cream Sandwich on October 19 (the evening of the 18th in the US). Each update offers significant improvements in features and/or UI, but keeping track of all those new goodies can be an arduous task. We'll give you a look at what's new on these platforms, as well as some idea of how or if you can get them on your device. Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) is the only update that hasn't actually been released as of the time this writing, but Google did hold a launch event demonstrating new features and capabilities in Android 4. ICS will initially be available on the recently announced Samsung Galaxy Nexus, with updates proceeding to other eligible devices at a later date. Presumably Google will follow its policy of updating devices released by partners over the last 18 months. General It seems like we've been hearing rumors about ICS since the dawn of time, but it hasn't been quite that long. Reportedly the major benefit of ICS was the unification of the phone and tablet form factors, but the absence of a tablet demo to this point has been frustrating. The UI sports a lot of elements that will look very familiar to users of Honeycomb (Android 3.x) tablets. The three buttons that are always on display at the bottom of the screen, the app switcher, and even the neon glow around the UI bits are almost identical to Honeycomb. Those of you looking for better ways to organize your home screens will love folders and resizable widgets. Image credit: mobilissimo.ro Messaging and Social Networks Smartphones are all about communication, and Ice Cream Sandwich reinforces that. Google+ is an integral part of ICS, in much the same way Gmail or Google Voice have been. As Google's central social networking service, Google+ is going to provide key communication capabilities, such as chat and video calling via Google+ Hangouts. Beam Undoubtedly the most innovative new feature in ICS, Beam uses Near Field Communication (NFC) to transfer images, contacts, or links between devices simply by touching them together. Beam will require a device that includes NFC hardware. NFC is the same technology that powers Google Wallet, and will become much more prevalent in the coming months. Camera and Imaging Camera use was a major area of (ahem) focus at Google's ICS event. From the start, ICS helps you catch that perfect image by offering a shortcut to the camera app directly from the unlock screen. The camera app itself has been reworked and provides many upgrades such as continuous focus and zero shutter lag, both of which will help you capture better images using your phone's camera. Panoramic images are incredibly simple with ICS as well. Simply snap an image, sweep the camera slowly across the area you want to capture, and Ice Cream Sandwich will stitch the images together to make a panorama. Image credit: Gadgetian.com The Gallery app has also been updated in a big way, offering impressive image editing opportunities out of the box. Once your image is perfect, ICS provides an avenue for you to share your image to different social networks or photo sharing sites, as well as using email or Bluetooth. Other Image credit: mobilissimo.ro Google also provides some other innovative uses of technology that can make your life easier. Face Unlock allows you to use the front-facing camera on your device for facial recognition to unlock your device, instead of a pin or swipe pattern. Quick Responses let you respond to an incoming phone call using predefined text messages, a terribly handy solution for anyone who has received an inopportune phone call during an important meeting. ICS makes the problem of monitoring and managing your metered data usage much more intuitive. Using the included tools you can determine when and why spikes in data usage are occurring, and define how individual apps are allowed to use your data. iOS 5 Arguably the world's most hyped smartphone platform, iOS 5 boasts a maturity in both platform and ecosystem that everyone else is trying to catch up with. Much of the iOS 5 update simply improves on features that have been available for some time, but Apple certainly has some new tricks up its sleeve. It comes installed on the new iPhone 4S and is available for the iPhone (4 and 3GS), iPad (1 and 2), and iPod Touch (generation 3 and 4). Siri Easily the coolest new feature in iOS 5, Siri is also the most frustrating because it's (needlessly) exclusive to the iPhone 4S. In its simplest form, Siri is the best mobile voice activation solution on the market, but it's much more than that. Instead of always listening for specific key words, Siri attempts to translate your words into something the iPhone can act on. The result is a very usable voice interface that allows you to play music, set reminders, reply to text messages, inquire about the weather or traffic, and a host of other uses. iCloud Apple's second attempt at an integral cloud service, iCloud rains down convenience all over iOS 5. It integrates nicely with Apple's iWork suite (Pages, Numbers, and Keynote) to provide a means of synchronizing your documents to the cloud, or to multiple devices. The iCloud website lets you view thumbnails of these documents, and upload or download individual documents. iCloud also provides quick access to your @me.com email, and lets you manage your contacts and calendar in a central location. At iCloud.com you can "Find My iPhone", which allows you to locate, track, and remotely lock or wipe your device if it gets lost or stolen. Notifications For such a mature platform, notifications prior to iOS 5 were hideous. Notifications would interrupt the app you were currently using, which was especially painful during video playback or key moments in a game. In iOS 5, Apple has taken a major step in the right direction with notifications. Instead of constant popups that demand your attention, notifications appear at the top of your screen, and disappear after a few seconds. A list of recent notifications is visible by dragging downward from the top of the screen, revealing the Notification Drawer, similar to the UI in Android. iOS 5 also offers the ability to display notifications on your lock screen, adding an additional layer of visibility without being obtrusive. Using Settings you can configure notifications for individual apps, indicating when and where an application is able to notify you. You can even revert to the old method of notifications, if you'd prefer. Messaging and Social Networks iMessage is Apple's implementation of a unified messaging platform. It can seamlessly switch between SMS and chat with other iMessage users. You can even begin an iMessage conversation on your iPhone, and pick up where you left off on your iPad or iPod Touch. Twitter integration also makes its debut in iOS 5, though you won't be removing your Twitter app anytime soon. iOS 5 uses Twitter to share photos, links, maps, or videos with only a few touches. App developers also have access to APIs that let them integrate built-in functionality, meaning more socially-aware apps should be on the horizon. What Twitter integration in iOS 5 doesn't provide is an easy method to interact with your timeline or post a simple Tweet without going through Safari, Photos, or Maps. Other There are a lot more less significant features and updates in iOS 5 as well. For example, iPads get a Split Keyboard to benefit thumb typists, and Safari adds enhanced tabbed browsing. Significant AirPlay updates mean you can now mirror your entire screen to an HDTV display with an Apple TV. Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) Windows Phone is the newest member of this group, and as such had the most room for growth. Microsoft's Mango update to WP7 launched simultaneously to multiple devices on carriers throughout the world, and did so without any major hiccups. The update will be available to all Windows Phone devices and will become stock on a new wave of hardware arriving in the coming months. General The biggest update in Windows Phone 7.5 is Multitasking. Like iOS, most Windows Phone apps don't truly run in the background, but Windows Phone 7.5 provides the APIs that developers need to do critical things, like play music or continue downloading files while the application is inactive. You can switch between running applications by holding the back button, swiping through the available options, and tapping on the app you want. Messaging and Social Networks Microsoft's tagline for Windows Phone is "Put People First", and Mango improves on that goal in dramatic ways. Already one of the more socially connected platforms with Facebook integrated directly into the OS, WP7.5 also includes Twitter and LinkedIn integration, as well as improving the Facebook support. The "Me" tile can update any of the connected social networks, and you can follow friends through the People hub. Also through the People hub, the new History pivot tracks your interaction with individual friends, both via the integrated social networks and the more traditional means. The Messaging app in Windows Phone is where you would typically read and send SMS and MMS messages. The Messaging interface itself received some minor tweaks, a rarity in this update, with incoming and outgoing messages being colored differently. The Messaging app is also the home of integrated Facebook chat. Messaging allows you to seamlessly switch back and forth between Facebook chat and SMS, much like Facebook Messages. Voice integration is another new feature of the Messaging app, allowing you to easily dictate text messages using only voice commands. Windows Phone 7 included one of our favorite mobile email implementations before Mango, and it only gets better. Email in Mango has a threaded view, making it simple to view an entire conversation without searching through your email history. Also new in Mango is the ability to link inboxes. Linked inboxes let you associate two or more email accounts to handle as one, simplifying the task of managing your email without losing the benefits gained by having multiple accounts. Bing When the search button gets one of the three mandated hardware buttons on every Windows Phone device, there's a good chance that Microsoft has big plans for Bing in Windows Phone 7. We've already covered much of Bing's new functionality in our piece on Tips and Tricks for Mango, but know that if you aren't using Bing on a regular basis, you're missing out. Scout, Music, Vision, and Voice all have new features and use cases that have major potential, and compete favorably against the best Apple and Google can offer. Other There are too many new features in Mango to fully delve into here, but some other items of interest include support for custom ringtones, new features in Zune (Music and Video), and the ability to save Office documents to SkyDrive. Mango also offers many new capabilities for developers that you'll see in your apps, such as the ability to pin multiple live tiles to your Start screen. Let's Get Moving Regardless of which mobile platform you use on a daily basis, there are some good reasons to be excited about the new things on offer. Each platform has made major steps forward in features and how the UI presents those features. The real question for many people is if their device will be supported, and unfortunately that often depends on the device. Most Apple devices are eligible for iOS 5, but will miss out on the most innovative feature in Siri. All Windows Phone devices are upgradeable to Mango, partially due to the small segment of the market held by Windows Phone. The upgradeability of Android devices is an entirely new conversation. The general rule of thumb says that popular devices from Google partners released in the last 18 months have the best chance for an upgrade, but the schedule for those devices to receive their update is anyone's guess. Which is your platform of choice? What new features are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments!

AMD Catalyst 11.10 Drivers Now Available for Download Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:26 AM PDT We're a day late on this one, but AMD on Halloween treated Radeon graphics card owners to new Catalyst 11.10 drivers in finished form. According to the release notes, Catalyst 11.10 enhances AMD Eyefinity support with bezel compensation, a new maximum supported resolution of 16000x16000 (on Radeon HD 6000 Series card, limited to DX11 applications only), and by enabling support for Eyefinity 5x1 display configurations in both portrait and landscape modes. AMD lists performance improvements in the Battlefield 3 Open Beta release, which we assume would also apply to the retail version. Catalyst 11.10 is also supposed to smooth things out in Rage by enabling automatic Vsync and reducing a number of annoying issues, like random crashes, screen flicker, texture corruption, stuttering, and other graphical anomalies. If you're rocking a copy of Windows 7, there are several other resolved issues Catalyst 11.10 brings to the table, most of which are related to specific games like Lost Planet 2, F1 2010, Dirt 2, Mafia II, and the Unigine Heaven benchmark. There are a handful of fixes for Windows XP and Vista too, but not nearly as many. Release Notes Driver Download Image Credit: hd-wallpapers.eu

Third Quarter Graphics Shipments Climb Nearly 17 Percent Posted: 01 Nov 2011 10:39 AM PDT Analysts at Jon Peddie Research (JPR) said that Q3 graphics shipments jumped 16.7 percent over last quarter, and 18.4 percent over last year. That's the sort of thing that happens when you start integrating graphics onto CPU dies, as both Intel (Sandy Bridge) and AMD (Fusion) have done, which helped "shipments during the third quarter of 2011 [to] (finally) behave according to past years with regards to seasonality." The third quarter is usually when shipments of graphics chips grow, according to JPR. It was also the seventh quarter of embedded processor graphics for Intel, which "had a very strong double digit growth in desktops and notebooks." Intel ended the quarter with a 60.4 percent share of the market, up from 54.8 percent last quarter and 55.1 percent last year. AMD, meanwhile, came in second with a 23 percent share of the graphics chip market, down from 24.4 percent last quarter and exactly where it was one year ago. Nvidia, which withdrew from the integrated segment, ended the quarter with a 16.1 percent share of the market, down from 20.1 percent last quarter and also last year. Image Credit: AMD

Condescending Apple Genius Says iPhones Get Stressed Out, Need R&R Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:23 AM PDT There are lots of reasons why battery life in smartphones might fall well short of expectations. You could have too many services turned on all the time, each one sipping juice from the lithium-ion battery. There could be a rogue app that's flawed or poorly coded and constantly doing things in the background. It could be a software snafu, and it could be a hardware problem. Or, as one Apple Genius put it, the phone could be stressed out, man. David Carnoy over at CNet posted his hilariously maddening encounter with one of the so-called Geniuses at his local Apple Store. Carnoy popped in primarily to troubleshoot an iTunes problem he was having, but also brought up the fact that his iPhone 4S was giving up the ghost after 12 hours on minimal use, which is nowhere near what he was getting with his 3GS. The solution? Turn it off, stupid. Carnoy brought up the fact that he likes to use his iPhone 4S as an alarm clock and keeps it docked at night so it would be fully charged in the morning. Fair enough, except the Apple Genius found him incredible foolish for using a $400 device (64GB model) to wake himself up when "you can get a perfectly good alarm clock for $20 these days." Where was Siri on this one? What's more, the Apple Genius insisted that unless Carnoy is an on-call doctor or otherwise needs 24/7 availability, he has no business leaving his phone on at night, docked or otherwise. So again, turn it off, but not for the purpose of calibration. "Well, sometimes the phone locks up because it's stressed, a lot of stuff is running at the same time," the Genius said, adding that Carnoy should give his phone a break at least once a week by turning it off completely. If, after doing that, the battery life is still bad, he might have a problem, another Genius told him. Read the condescending exchange here and sound off in the comments section below.

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MMO News

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• Stellar Impact Gameplay – First Look HD
• Hellgate turns November into Halloween
• Stellar Impact
• World of Tanks previews Update 7
• Merchant of Venice arrives in Mabinogi

Stellar Impact Gameplay – First Look HD Posted: 01 Nov 2011 12:03 PM PDT To Learn More about the game check out our Stellar Impact Page. Stellar Impact is a 3D sci-fi themed match-based MMO where players wage war against each other in armed spacecrafts for rank and supremacy. Join one of two factions and select a cruiser worthy of delivering some major damage. Equip vessels with powerful weapons, ammunitions, specialized skills, and various upgrades. To learn more about Stellar Impact check out the official MMOHut Stellar Impact page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

Hellgate turns November into Halloween Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:51 AM PDT Hellgate Global has announced a series of events for Halloween that will run through November. These events include: - Exchange Lucky Coupons for masks and helmets. - Obtain Death Mask, Ichabod’s Bane, All Hallow’s Visage, Face of Evil, and Pumpkin Head, some requiring Errgoth, Oriax, Ash, and Nicor heads. - 100% experience bonus against monsters for November during Hellrush. - Level-up rewards. - Daily supplies from Supply Soldier Teo. - Experience bonus for the first few hours logged in each day. - Perks for Aika Global players that join Hellgate Global. Hellgate Global is published by T3Fun. Hellgate Gameplay Screenshot Source: It's HELLoween Month in Hellgate Global This November Hellgate Global celebrates Halloween with fun and exciting events LOS ANGELES – November 1, 2011 T3Fun today announced that Hellgate Global will celebrate Halloween through a series of hunting, experience bonus, and system events. Also, Hellgate Global welcomes new crusaders from different parts of the globe through a rewarding game migration event. Here are the events of Hellgate Global for November: Halloween Heads for Heads Lucky Coupons can be traded for masks and headgear this Halloween! Besides the great in-game rewards that players can get through collecting Lucky Coupons, they can also trade them for these items: Death Mask, Ichabod's Bane, All Hallow's Visage, Face of Evil, and Pumpkin Head. These items are not easily obtainable, though, as some of these require the heads of Errgoth, Oriax, Ash, and Nicor for their respectable trades to be completed! Hunting has never been this fun and scary! Hellrush Because of the success of Hell Rush for the month of October, Hellgate Global will be bringing it back this November! Players will gain 100% experience bonus from killing monsters during the Hellrush Event. From Heaven to Hell Want to join the crusades in order to help in mankind's effort in driving off demonic invasions from hell? This is the perfect time to join! Mankind's army is now extending its recruitment to players from Aika Global. Players from Aika Global can now join in mankind's war against demons, and Hellgate Global will give out perks to Aika Global players that reach specific level requirements. Level and Be Rewarded Life in a war-torn land is tough. Strengthening one's self in preparation for war is a hard process. Hellgate Global will help players in their quest to grow stronger by giving them rewards when they reach a specific level. Daily Supplies Besides rewarding players for leveling up, Hellgate Global is also sending out aid supplies to players on a daily basis. Talk to Supply Soldier Teo to get these daily supplies. Condition: EXP Bonus Besides the Hellrush event this November, players will also receive experience bonus every day for the first few hours after logging-in. Leveling has never been this easier! Hellgate Global celebrates Halloween with the complete package. New masks and headgears, coupled with experience bonus events and supply aid events, is featured this November. Also, the migration event to Hellgate Global for players from Aika Global will surely add to the increasingly growing population of Hellgate Global, making the adventures, the boss hunts, and the loot hunts more and more fun! As the Halloween season approaches, mankind's army is slowly gaining the upper hand against the demons of hell. Be sure to be present when mankind's victory against demons finally comes!

Stellar Impact Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:47 AM PDT Stellar Impact is a 3D sci-fi themed match-based MMO where players wage war against each other in armed spacecrafts for rank and supremacy. Join one of two factions and select a cruiser worthy of delivering some major damage. Equip vessels with powerful weapons, ammunitions, specialized skills, and various upgrades. Explore the universe with friends in this intergalactic action packed adventure. Publisher: Tindalos Interactive Playerbase: Low Graphics: Medium Quality Type: MMORTS EXP Rate: Low PvP: Faction Based Filesize: 276 MB Pros: +Challenging combat. +Death-match battles. +Plenty of upgrades. +In-depth skill system. +Variety of maps. +Great ship customization options. Cons: -Poor tutorial. -No specific match system. –Controls could be better. –Small player base. –Repetitive gameplay. –Free to play users are restricted. Free Trial Restrictions: Unlimited free trial, but players can only perform a level one upgrade of each ship. Overview Stellar Impact Overview Stellar Impact is a space themed match-based multiplayer combat game where players step into the role of an official interplanetary captain fighting for one of two warring factions.  Much like other DotA games such as League of Legends and sci-fi fantasy titles in the realm of Dark Orbit or Battlestar Galactica players go on an action infused expedition in deep space steering their ship into battle. Participate in intense PvP death-matches with your comrades. Choose from over 12 different maps and various modes. Maneuver your ship through a constantly evolving galaxy filled with asteroids, plasma storms, gas clouds, and crystal fields. Upgrade your vessel with an assortment of weapons, skills, and equipment. Capture your enemies's Starbase and win a victory for your alliance in this fast-paced MMORTS. There are also five distinct ship classes to choose from. Factions – Allies and Axis Ship Classes: Corvette- These ships are fast and easy to navigate. They are perfect for initiating swift attacks on large opposing vessels. Frigate – This light-weight craft specializes in reconnaissance operations and is equipped with incredible radar range capabilities. Frigates are ideal for infiltrating enemy lines or escorting fleets. Destroyer – Powerful mid-sized ships effective at striking enemies during rigorous battles. This class can annihilate multiple ships regardless of their size. Cruiser – Considered as one of the largest vessels this ship has a reputation of withstanding high volumes of damage with no problems. It's an excellent spacecraft to have protecting other allied ships. Dreadnought – This craft was designed to support coordinated attacks. Dreadnoughts are valued command ships that every faction should have on their side during combat. Stellar Impact Screenshots Review Stellar Impact Review By: Ange Perdu Stellar Impact is a 2D real-time strategy sci-fi themed match-based multiplayer game where players become space captains fighting for one of two warring factions for intergalactic territory. Choose between the Allies or the wicked Axis. Each player controls their own customizable ship in fast-paced timed PvP battles. Fire relentlessly at opposing player's vessels or seize the rival faction's home base. Loot defeated fleets and use items to upgrade your ship. Level up spacecrafts to unlock and equip specialized skills effective in combat. Fly an assortment of ships ranging from compact Corvettes to the behemoth Cruiser. Attach a variety of weapons, ammunition, hulls, and equipment to become the most powerful vessel in the galaxy. Allies VS the Axis, the Gameplay The bulk of the gameplay in Stellar Impact consists of match-based PvP battles between rival factions. Once players have selected their spacecraft they simply enter the lobby area to find an available match. There are no quests or single player practice options. Since the servers aren't heavily populated it often leaves online users with absolutely nothing to do but impatiently wait or log off. Each match features a specific map and can have up to 12 players. Although the game features a nice selection of map modes there's not a structured match system implemented which leads to unbalanced teams that pin high level players against newbies. The game only features two battle modes. The most commonly used is the Conquest mode. In this deep space war players are divided into teams and fight together to destroy their enemy's Starbase. The team that successfully demolishes their opponent's stronghold first wins. The entire team earns a looting reward and each individual player receives experience for accumulating kills or captures. Users only have control of their ship making the combat very team-oriented. Captains have to work together communicating via the chat system to strategize effective attack sequences. In the Battlefield mode it's all about taking out your opponents. The main objective in this match is to wipe out the opposition three consecutive times or occupy an objective for more than 120 seconds. The first team to do so automatically wins. Tactical Combat on the Battlefield On the battlefield similar to Dark Orbit space commanders must steer their ship towards their targeted enemies in order to fire cannons and assault weapons. The controls are somewhat awkward. Players have to use their mouse to right-click on their desired location. Hitting the W or S keys will speed up or slow down the vessels' speed. Each environment or map is slightly different with obstacles scattered throughout the galaxy in the form of gigantic gas clouds, plasma storms, planets, bases, and asteroids. Lieutenants have to carefully select their ships passageways to avoid running into these obstructions. Wherever a user clicks the vessel will travel directly bumping into any other object in the set path. It's quite easy to get your ship destroyed by accidentally setting a course near some asteroids. Strategy comes to play in almost every aspect of this game giving RTS fans quite a challenge. Planning every deliberate move and attack is essential. There are some obstacles like crystal fields can be captured generating extra escort ships. Capturing a planet on the battlefield also rewards users with bonus command points. When an enemy is in sight players must left click to target the rival ship and press the space bar to fire weaponry. Spacecrafts must be facing the vessel in the appropriate direction enabling the cannons to accurately shoot for a successful assault. During battles AI controlled escort ships randomly appear to help attack the opposing faction's Starbase. Captains have the option of shooting down their rival's automated fleets for additional XP. Experience points accumulated during combat can later be used to purchase various upgrades for vessels. Ship Classes & Skills An interesting system integrated in Stellar Impact is the extensive ship skills and upgrades. There are five ship classes consisting of the Corvette, Frigate, Destroyer, Cruiser, and Dreadnought. There are no set ship classes so players are free to switch between different spacecrafts as they see fit. Each of these vessels can not only be equipped with weaponry but specialized skills that can enhance performance during battles. Skills include maneuvering tactics, reconnaissance, defense, command, and attack techniques. There are up to 20 different skills that can be unlocked and purchased as a player levels up their ships. Master the Quantum Leap or the Shockwave which sends 200 damage points to all ships within range. Each spacecraft is limited in the number of skills it can possess at a given time. The skills your rivals' ship is using remains concealed during combat. Experimenting with various skills adds an addicting element to the gameplay. This great feature is primarily available to paying members. Much like Star Trek Online there are some extreme restrictions for F2P users when it comes to ship upgrades. Only the first level of each ship can be upgraded with skills and add-ons. Premium users have access to cooler weaponry, ammunition, hulls, and skills. There's not much free users can do in terms of customization unless they switch over to a premium member. Final Verdict: Fair Stellar Impact is a fun space themed tactical multiplayer online combat game. Players become space captains steering their own customizable ship into intense faction-based PvP battles. The gameplay is surprisingly challenging, combining standard RPG elements like skills with a DotA style similar to League of Legends. Players have to depend on their fellow teammates and strategically plan every move in order to effectively capture their enemy's Starbase. The lack of a structured tutorial, restricted F2P features, and small community of active players make it difficult for new users to get into the game. For fans of sci-fi action RTS this indie title might be worth checking out. Screenshots Stellar Impact Screenshots 1234567► Videos Stellar Impact Videos Click here to view the embedded video. Links Stellar Impact Links http://stellar-impact.com/stellar_impact/ System Requirements Stellar Impact System Requirements Minimum configuration 2 GHz processor 1.5 GB RAM DirectX 9-class ATI or NVIDIA 3D graphics card Windows XP/Vista/7 Internet connection 2GB free hard disk space Recommended configuration 2 GHz multi-core processor 2 GB RAM DirectX 10-class ATI or NVIDIA 3D graphics card Windows XP/Vista/7 Broadband internet connection 2GB free hard disk space

World of Tanks previews Update 7 Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:35 AM PDT The next major update for World of Tanks has been announced by Wargaming.net, allowing players to get a preview of what’s to come. The star of the update will be the camouflage system, letting players place tank skins on their vehicles to help them blend in to each battlefield, and granting improved invisibility. Clan emblems will be able to be placed on vehicles, and Clan Wars will introduce a fog of war to prevent teams from seeing each other’s rosters. The update will also introduce two maps, Fjords and Swamp, and the SU-85 (I), available only through special events. World of Tanks Gameplay Screenshot Source: Tanks Go Stealth Update 7.0 for World of Tanks Announced London, UK, Paris, FR and San Francisco, CA (1st November, 2011) — Wargaming.net, the award-winning global videogame publisher and developer, announces Update 7.0 for their world-famous free-to-play MMO World of Tanks that will introduce a wide range of new gameplay features. Along with unveiling two new maps, Fjords and Swamp, Update 7.0 will feature the long-anticipated camouflage system that will fit tank skins to the battlefields they fight on. Available in different options, camouflage will provide enhanced invisibility and add more to the strategic element of tank combat. Clan members will be able to represent their membership by using clan emblems on their vehicles. In addition, battles within the Clan Wars will feature the fog of war, where the teams will not see each other’s rosters. The new Update will also include a special model SU-85 (I) available within special World of Tanks events. "We are truly proud to present the new features to our players," said Wargaming.net CEO Victor Kislyi. "We will keep upgrading the game, developing new content and introducing new modes. We promise there are a lot of new exciting features to come." World of Tanks is the first and only team-based massively multiplayer online action game dedicated to armored warfare. Throw yourself into the epic tank battles of World War II with other steel cowboys all over the world. Your arsenal includes more than 150 armored vehicles from America, Germany, and the Soviet Union, carefully detailed with historical accuracy. A flexible system of authentic vehicle upgrade and development allows you to try any of the vehicles and weapons in the game. Whether you prefer to exhaust your foes with fast and maneuverable light tanks, make deep breaches in enemy lines with all-purpose medium tanks, use the force of giant tanks to eliminate opposing armored forces, or become a heavy sniper with long-range howitzers, each unit type has its own advantages and can be extremely effective when operated by a true tank ace. But being a great tank commander alone isn’t enough to win! In World of Tanks, it’s all about teamwork. Victory is achieved by combining your combat skills with those of the other members of your team, each playing their own role on the battlefield. Just add your favorite strategy to build your own steel empire and manifest the indisputable authority of the tank power! Join World of Tanks: http://game.worldoftanks.eu/registration/ (Europe) http://game.worldoftanks.com/registration/ (North America)

Merchant of Venice arrives in Mabinogi Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:28 AM PDT Late last week, Mabinogi introduced the Merchant of Venice, its latest update to the Shakespeare collection. The storyline for this update features the tale of Bassanio and Portia, and grants players the right to become Venetian merchants in the new Commerce system. Players may purchase goods with Ducats (a Commerce-exclusive currency) and trade their goods to other markets for the best profit. The update also reintroduces theatre missions, that reward a special persona and title for those who complete them; meanwhile, previous Shakespeare quests have been made easier for players to complete. As part of the event’s launch, a “Hot-Time” event will be in place from November 3 to November 5, giving players a chance to win experience boosts and other prizes when they log in. Mabinogi is published by Nexon, which also publishes MapleStory and Dragon Nest. Mabinogi Gameplay Screenshot Source: Prepare to Become a Merchant of Belvast Mabinogi's Shakespeare series continues with The Merchant of Venice Masters of trade and travel can put their entrepreneurial talents to good use today in Mabinogi, Nexon's fantasy-themed MMORPG. The content update on October 29 brought forth The Merchant of Venice to life, and introduced the new Commerce system. The Merchant of Venice is the third in a series of Shakespearian tales launching in Mabinogi. After discovering the excitement of role-playing through classics like Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, players will be able to continue their Elizabethan journey. The new content's main storyline features the tale of two lovers, Bassanio and Portia, and even includes appearances by the Bard himself and his sweetheart, Bella. With the introduction of the new merchant town, Belvast, players now have the opportunity to become Venetian merchants in their own right by purchasing trade goods with Ducats, a new type of currency that is used exclusively in the new Commerce system. Players can travel from town to town to trade their goods to turn a profit by working the right markets. Theater missions are back in The Merchant of Venice. Players who complete the theater missions will be rewarded with a special persona and a new title. For players who want to catch up on the prior Shakespearean content updates, doing so is easier than ever because the mainstream quests have been streamlined and made easier to complete. Also, keeping track of quest items will now be a breeze, thanks to the newly added Quest Item Inventory. The tale of The Merchant of Venice wouldn't be complete without new merchandise. Mabinogi brought back summer's most popular pet: the Thunder Dragon. This two-seater version of the Thunder Dragon is available through November 16, just in time for Halloween celebrations. Players are also able to buy Halloween character cards, from Frankenstein's Monster to Vampire-themed cards. To celebrate this major content update, Nexon will be hosting a Hot-Time event starting November 3 through November 5. Players who log in will have three chances to receive a massive experience boost, pooled from all of the players on their server, as well as other special prizes. For more information on The Merchant of Venice content update, visit mabinogi.nexon.net.

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