General Gaming Article

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• Looking Forward: The 19 Gadgets We Can't Wait For in 2012
• Geek Tested: 17 Thermal Pastes Face Off
• Shogun Bros. Unveil Sniper-Friendly Ballista MK-1 Gaming Mouse
• FBI Arrests Seven Analysts for Insider Trading on Dell, Nvidia Stock
• Acer Betting Big on Ultrabooks in 2012
• SOPA Protests: Results And Aftermath
• Foxconn Chairman Likens Employees To Animals, Solicits Advice From Zoo Keeper
• McAffe Promises to Patch Spammy Vulnerability in SasS Total Protection
• iFixIt Seeks Out Repair Gurus from Around the World, Profiles Them on New Website
• SSDNow V+200 SSDs Command a King's Ransom, Kingston Calls Them "Inexpensive"

Looking Forward: The 19 Gadgets We Can't Wait For in 2012 Posted: 19 Jan 2012 02:37 PM PST CES did a good job this year of getting us excited about 2012 by showing us some awesome gadgets, technologies and products. From ultrabooks and tablets, to speakers and home automation, from software to televisions, from smartphones to solar power there was something at CES that every Maximum PC editor wanted to get their hands on. Click through to get a gander on what each Maximum PC editor is most looking forward to in the next 365 days, and let us know what gadgets you're most looking foward to in the comments!

Geek Tested: 17 Thermal Pastes Face Off Posted: 19 Jan 2012 12:10 PM PST Does thermal paste really matter? We applied, reapplied, reapplied some more, and turned up the heat  on our testing CPU to find out. Ask ten geeks about their preferred thermal interface material (TIM) and you'll get six different answers. Five will go with Arctic Silver 5 and the others will have five totally different favorites. Ask a non-geek about their favorite thermal paste and you might get slapped. But is Arctic Silver 5 really the best? Is the thermal testing compound we've been using in the lab really cutting the mustard? We gathered seventeen premium thermal pastes and an overclocked test bed and set about finding out whether thermal paste really makes a difference, and if so, which one is the best. A Note on Methodology Our test bed consists of an Intel Core-i7-975 CPU, overclocked to 3.9GHz. This gives an idle clock speed of 2.1GHz. Our motherboard is an Asus P6X58D Premium with 6GB of RAM and a Thermaltake Frio OCK cooler with its fans set to their highest setting, to maximize airflow. Our test bed is built into a High-Speed PC Top Deck Tech Station (large), and our PSU is an Antec TruePower 850W. We tested each thermal paste after an hour of idling, then after three hours running Intel's Nehalem thermal stress-testing utility at 85 percent thermal load. How'd we get that number? We applied our standard thermal testing compound—Arctic Silver Lumiére—and cranked up the utility until the CPU was consistently just under 90C, then used those settings for every future test. CPU temperatures are an average of the four CPU core temperatures as measured by HWMonitor, and we used TMonitor to make sure the processors were running under 100 percent load at their full 3.96GHz during testing. For this test, we focused on thermal pastes that are nondestructive—none of this liquid metal stuff—and readily available in the United States. After a few weeks of testing day in and day out, we're ready to report our results. Here are your contenders! The Contenders (in order of testing) Arctic Silver Lumiére OEM Thermal Testing Compound, Price N/A (OEM only) Arctic Silver's OEM testing compound is a ceramic-based TIM which we've been using in the lab for years because of its consistent performance and lack of burn-in time. It's not available to the general public, but we included it to see how our baseline TIM really stacks up to the competition. Not well, it turns out. We've been using Lumiére since God was a kid, and it's not bad at low temperatures, but in our stress test it pulled down temps on par with the worst performers of the bunch—89C, almost hot enough to trigger our CPU's automatic throttling. Geek Approved?: No Noctua NT-H1, $10 / 1.4ml tube Noctua's NT-H1 is a thick electrically non-conductive composite material that ships with the company's CPU coolers and can also be bought separately. Noctua recommends dropping a small amount in the center of the heat spreader and allowing the pressure to spread the paste across the interface. Given the tackiness of the compound, that's good advice. NT-H1 is good stuff. At full burn our processor only averaged 81.25C, and at our processor's idle temps (still far higher than most processors' burn temps) were just 41C. Geek Approved?: Yes Arctic Cooling MX-4, $13 / 4g tube Arctic Cooling—not to be confused with Arctic Silver, which also makes thermal pastes—distributes several thermal pastes in addition to its lineup of CPU and GPU coolers and remote-controlled tugboats (yes, really). MX-4 is a non-metallic carbon-based gray compound that doesn't conduct electricity, and Arctic Cooling says a single application will last up to eight years. It's a bit pricy at $13 per tube, but it does the job well, with burn temperatures of just 81C and idle temps of 41C. Geek Approved? Yes Tuniq TX-4, $12 / 1ml tube Tuniq's TX-4 is gray and tacky and difficult to apply even with the included spreader, which is the size of a credit card. TX-4 is not electrically conductive. Once we did get the paste applied, Tuniq TX-4 performed the best of any thermal paste in our roundup, and was the only TIM with a sub-80C score—though at 79.5C, that's within the margin of error for our test. It's quite expensive for the tiny amount you get per tube, so you may be just as well off with some of the less expensive pastes in the roundup, but TX-4 has top-notch performance and earns our recommendation. Geek Approved?: Yes ZeroTherm ZT-100, $10 / 4g tube ZeroTherm ZT-100 is gray, silicone-based, and easy to spread. It also comes with a finger cot, so when you spread a thin layer of it on your CPU (as per ZeroTherm installation instructions) you don't have thermal paste on your fingertip for the rest of the day. With burn temps of 81.5C and idle temps of 41C on our test configuration, it earns our solid recommendation. Geek Approved?: Yes Prolimatech PK-1, $13 / 5g tube Prolimatech has a hard-won reputation as a maker of excellent, if massive, CPU coolers. It also makes PK-1, an aluminum-based thermal paste with bits of zinc oxide in it. PK-1 is gray and pretty easy to spread despite its almost claylike consistency, and doesn't conduct electricity. It's also one of the best thermal pastes we've tested, with burn temperatures under 81C and idles just over 41C. It's cheaper than a lot of the other premium pastes, too—$13 gets you a whole 5g tube, or you can grab a 1g pouch from NewEgg for $3.50. Geek Approved?: Yes Rosewill RCX-TC090 Pro, $6 / 20g bottle Rosewill's thermal grease is cheap and easy to apply, thanks to its glorified nail-polish bottle and brush applicator, but its performance is strictly middle-of-the-road, with a burn average of 85.5C. Most of its 20g weight is the glass bottle. Geek Approved?: No Xigmatek PTI-G3606, $8 / 3g tube Xigmatek's memorably named PTI-G3606 is a silicon-based  electrically non-conductive thermal grease. It's very easy to apply a thin layer to the CPU with the included plastic spreader. In our tests it performed slightly better than the Rosewill RCX-TC090PRO, with burn temps of 84.5C. Geek Approved?: No Tuniq TX-2, $8 / 3.5g tube Tuniq's TX-2 is a light gray thermal paste that's stickier than most of the ones in our roundup. It's not conductive and it's fairly easy to apply. In our tests it was just half a degree Celsius warmer than the TX-4, putting it within the margin of error for the tests and making it one of the best pastes we've tested. It's cheaper than TX-4 and you get more in the tube, so we'd actually recommend TX-2 over TX-4 for the cheapskates. Geek Approved?: Yes Arctic Silver 5, $13 / 3.5g tube The gold standard for high-performance thermal pastes, Arctic Silver 5 was our odds-on favorite to win this roundup. Arctic Silver 5 consists of silver particles in a paste with ceramic particles, zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, and more, to maximize thermal contact. Arctic Silver 5 is slightly tacky, but easy enough to spread. We tested it by applying a small dollop of paste to the center of the CPU and spreading it with a spreader, as is our custom for thermal pastes. Unlike most of the pastes in our roundup, Arctic Silver 5 has a recommended 200-hour burn-in period before it's supposed to reach maximum efficiency, but who has that kind of time? Even without the 200 hours of burn-in, Arctic Silver 5 did well, reducing the CPU temperature at full load to 82.5C. It's not the best TIM in our roundup—at least not before the 200-hour burn in period—but it's good right off the bat. Geek Approved?: Yes Arctic Silver Alumina, $6 / 1.75g tube Alumina is Arctic Silver's "Premium Ceramic Polysynthetic Compound," and it looks a lot like the Arctic Silver Lumiére OEM Testing Compound we've been using for years in the lab. It's white, spreads easily, and requires no burn-in time. It performed better than the Lumiére, with burn temperatures around 85.5C—decent, but not high enough to earn an "Approved" rating in this roundup. Geek Approved?: No Shin-Etsu MicroSI X23-7783D, $4 / .5g tube Shin-Etsu X23-7783D is justly renowned in the cooling world. This gray silicone thermal paste is thicker than most and doesn't spread easily, so we used the dot-in-the-center method to apply it to our cooler. Once installed, the X23-7783D enabled CPU temps of just 80.25C average at full burn and 40C at idle. There's a reason many OEMs pre-apply it to their CPU coolers. Geek Approved?: Yes BioStar TC-DIAMOND Nano Diamond Thermal Compound, $17 / 1.5g tube Nano diamonds, you say? We'll take eight! Biostar Nano Diamond Thermal Compound is only 10 percent diamond particle; the rest is silicone compounds (50 percent), carbon compounds (20 percent) and metal oxides (20 percent). It's electrically non-conductive and easy to apply with the included plastic spreader, but its performance in our test bed wasn't impressive—89C at burn and 43C idle temperatures. Geek Approved?: No Zalman ZM-STG1, $15, 3.5g bottle Zalman ZM-STG1 is another thermal grease in a tiny bottle with a brush applicator. The bottle is significantly smaller than the one Rosewill's grease comes in, and the grease is thinner. We applied the ZM-STG1 with the brush as per instructions several times, but met with the same disappointing performance each time—over 89C at full burn and 43C at idle, just like the BioStar Nano Diamond paste. Geek Approved?: No Xigmatek PTI-G4512, $10 / 4g tube Xigmatek's PTI-G4512 is a light gray silicone-based thermal paste that's easy to apply with the included spreader. It's non-conductive and non-corrosive. It performs better than the other Xigmatek TIM, PTI-G3606, with burn temperatures just over 81C and great idle temps at just 40C. The PTI-G4512 is pretty cost-effective, too; a 4g tube is just $10—not quite as cheap as Arctic Cooling MX-2, but close. Geek Approved?: Yes Arctic Cooling MX-2 Thermal Compound, $9 / 4g tube The predecessor to Arctic Cooling's MX-4 is slightly lighter and slightly thinner than the newer compound, but is also non-metallic and electrically non-conductive. Its performance was almost indistinguishable from MX-4—well within the margin of error.  It's also a few bucks cheaper, so if you're especially budget-conscious, go for the older but cheaper compound. Geek Approved?: Yes Cooler Master ThermalFusion 400, $12 / 4g tube Sound familiar? Cooler Master's ThermalFusion 400 is a gray, electrically non-conductive thermal paste that spreads quite easily with the included plastic spreader. It cooled our stress-tested CPU to 81.75C at full burn and 41C at idle—good enough to earn it our recommendation. It's not exactly cheap—MX-2, TX-2, and ZT-100 all give slightly better value for money—but at this point we're talking a few dollars and a few degrees Celsius. Geek Approved?: Yes Conclusion On an idling overclocked processor or a stock-clocked CPU, the differences between thermal pastes is minimal—we saw a spread of less than 4C between the best and worst thermal pastes in our roundup. At high temperatures—and we should reiterate that we overclocked the processor to 3.9GHz and used a custom thermal-stress utility to put an enormous thermal load on the CPU—we saw a spread of over 12C. Margin of error is plus or minus 2C to allow for ambient air temperature, which ranged from 23.8C to 25.4C throughout the testing procedure. Of the seventeen thermal pastes in this roundup, Tuniq's TX-4 scored the highest. Its burn temperature was 3C cooler than Arctic Silver 5's. Eleven pastes earn our Geek Tested & Approved badge: Tuniq TX-4 and TX-2, Shin-Etsu MicroSI X23-7783D, Prolimatek PK-1, Arctic Cooling MX-4 and MX-2, Noctual NT-H1, Xigmatek PTI-G4512, ZeroTherm ZT-100, Cooler Master ThermalFusion 400, and good old Arctic Silver 5. We'd give pride of place to Tuniq's TX-2, Arctic Cooling's MX-2, and Prolimatech's PK-1, because they're slightly cheaper than some of the other premiere thermal interface materials. So does thermal paste matter? Yes—there's a big difference between thermal pastes when running a CPU at full burn. There's a big difference between a thermal interface material that's good for overclocking and those that aren't, but with eleven great thermal pastes to choose from, you can't go wrong with one of them. One final note: The true hero of this story is Arctic Silver's ArctiClean two-step thermal remover & surface purifier. It's nontoxic, smells like oranges, and cuts through the toughest thermal interface with ease. We've used it in the lab for years and it's a lifesaver any time we need to remove thermal paste from a CPU or heatsink. We've yet to meet a thermal interface material it didn't work on. Thermal Results Idle Temp (C) Burn Temp (C) Geek Approved? Arctic Silver Lumiére (zero-point) 43.75 89 NO Noctua NT-H1 41 81.25 YES Arctic Cooling MX-4 41 81 YES Tuniq TX-4 40* 79.5* YES ZeroTherm ZT-100 41 81.5 YES Prolimatech PK-1 41.25 80.5 YES Rosewill RCX-TC090 Pro 41.75 85.5 NO Xigmatek PTI-G3606 42.25 84.5 NO Tuniq TX-2 41 80 YES Arctic Silver 5 41.5 82.5 YES Arctic Silver Alumina 42.75 85.5 NO Shin-Etsu MicroSI X23-7783D 40* 80.25 YES BioStar Nano Diamond 43.25 89 NO Zalman ZMSTG1 43.25 89.25 NO Xigmatek PTI-G4512 40* 81.25 YES Arctic Cooling MX-2 40.75 81 YES Cooler Master ThermalFusion 400 41 81.75 YES Asterisk (*) denotes best score. All tests performed on an overclocked Core i7-975 @ 3.9GHz (burn) and 2.1GHz (idle) on an Asus P6X58D Premium motherboard with 6GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3, a Radeon HD 5850, and 850W Antec TruePower PSU. The CPU cooler used was a Thermaltake Frio OCK with its fans set to maximum speed. Temperatures recorded after 1 hour at idle and after 3 hours of full-burn testing using Intel's internal Nehalem stress-testing utility. We use HWMonitor to determine core temperatures and TMonitor to keep an eye on clock speeds.

Shogun Bros. Unveil Sniper-Friendly Ballista MK-1 Gaming Mouse Posted: 19 Jan 2012 11:35 AM PST Gamers already have a ton of options when it comes to gaming mice -- thanks to Shogun Bros., that number just hit a ton plus one. The company claims that its newly unveiled (but not yet available) Ballista MK-1 Gaming Mouse is tailor-made to make the lives of online campers -- pardon me, online "snipers" -- more cushy than ever before with a bevy of sharpshooter-friendly features. According to Shogun Bros.' press release, the mouse rocks 5,700 DPI and 11,570 fps movement tracking -- when you make a movement, the mouse should definitely register it. The DPI of the X and Y axis are totally separate and open to individual tweaking. The Ballista MK-1 packs in presets with 20 different DPI settings for different gaming types, there's 11 macro buttons, and a side button that allows gamers to drop into a Speed Shot mode. (Hey, that doesn't sound very sniper-like!) No word on pricing, but the mouse will be available in the second quarter.

FBI Arrests Seven Analysts for Insider Trading on Dell, Nvidia Stock Posted: 19 Jan 2012 11:35 AM PST Seven men connected by friendship or business association were arrested this week for allegedly participating in insider trading, the Federal Bureau (FBI) of Investigation announced in a candid press release. These latest arrests are the most recent developments in "Operation Perfect Hedge," the FBI's systematic targeting of insider trading in the hedge fund industry that began more than four years ago. According to the FBI's statement, the seven men "knew ahead of time which way the stock in Dell or Nvidia would move once quarterly earnings figures were officially announced. When you have the answer sheet beforehand, it's pretty hard not to ace the test. But cheating on the test and getting away with cheating on the test are two different things." The FBI is receiving assistance in its investigation from Sandeep Goyal, a junior research analyst at the Manhattan office of Neuberger Berman, an investment management firm, who has pleaded guilty to committing securities fraud. Analysts Jesse Tortora and Spyridon Adondaki also pleaded guilty and each face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. "Goyal had the direct connection to the Dell Insider," the FBI said. "Goyal passed along Dell quarterly earnings information to Tortora and defendant Todd Newman at Hedge Fund A. In compensation for this, Tortora and Newman arranged to pay Goyal a total of $175,000 in 2008 and early 2009, using 'soft dollars' and an intermediary to conceal the deal. Hedge Fund A reaped $3.8 million in illegal profits from advance knowledge of positive Dell news for the first quarter of fiscal year 2008 and negative news for the second quarter." The insider trading scheme runs much deeper than that and includes additional hedge funds, but short and to the point, these guys (allegedly) did the crime and now stand to do some serious time.

Acer Betting Big on Ultrabooks in 2012 Posted: 19 Jan 2012 11:10 AM PST Will this be the year of the Ultrabook? It's certainly looking that way so far. Ultrabooks debuted at the tail end of 2011 and were a predominant theme at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. Whether manufacturers can keep the momentum going remains to be seen, but the expectations are high, particularly at Acer. Acer chairman JT Wang expects Ultrabooks to account for no less than a quarter of his company's notebook shipments this year, and perhaps as much as 35 percent, DigiTimes reports. If Acer attacks the segment with the same ferocity that it did netbooks, there's every reason to believe JT Wang's prediction will come true. Sales of Acer's Aspire S3 Ultrabook totaled around 250,000 to 300,000 units in the first quarter after launch. In the second quarter of 2012, Acer expects to launch its second wave of Ultrabooks, along with even more models in Q3. At the same time all this is happening, Acer is expecting its notebook shipments to drop 10-15 percent sequentially in the first quarter, but to pick up as the year goes on and ultimately post a 10 percent year-on-year growth rate. Image Credit: Acer

SOPA Protests: Results And Aftermath Posted: 19 Jan 2012 11:10 AM PST Yesterday's SOPA/PIPA protests were unprecedented -- for the first time, the Internet as a whole banded together, users and websites alike, and we flexed our collective muscles to tell the government (as Craigslist put it), "KEEP THOSE CLAMMY HANDS OFF THE INTERNET." In typical Washington fashion, several Senators and Congressional Representatives quickly changed their minds about the bills. But just how effective was all the e-complaining? Since the effort was so widespread, nailing down exact numbers is difficult, but let's take a peek at the ones we managed to dredge up. First up, some anecdotal information: the websites of various Senators received so much Web traffic yesterday that they kept going offline under the strain. Wikipedia says that over 162 million people saw its anti-censorship message yesterday. In sheer, numerical terms, that's over half the population of the U.S., or as our very own Paul Lilly puts it, more than the combined population of both Iceland and Estonia. Google bragged that more than 7 million people signed its anti-SOPA/PIPA petition yesterday. That's not shabby; according to the infographic the search giant posted, prior to the protests only 3 million-plus folks had signed the various petitions floating around the web. Mozilla's blacked-out start page and social media inititatives reached 40 million people, which resulted in over 360,000 emails sent to Congress. The White House released a statement saying that 103,785 people had signed petitions asking President Obama to veto SOPA and the E-PARASITE (PIPA's other name) acts. Around 50k people signed each. According to BlackoutSOPA.org, 80,987 people changed their Twitter and Facebook pics to protest the acts. The Anti-SOPA page on Facebook snarfed down 78,273 Likes. Wikipedia also notes that the various anti-SOPA hashtags trended like crazy yesterday, and SOPA received over a quarter-million Tweets per hour yesterday. The L.A. Times reports that people sent over 350,000 emails to their representatives through FightForTheFuture, the nonprofit behind AmericanCensorship.org and SOPAStrike.com. Additionally, a full 75,000 sites registered with the group to help protest the two bills. Another 1,458,000 signed a petition at Avaaz.org. We could keep going, but you get the point. Yeah, but did all the e-bitching  actually accomplish anything? Yup! We told you yesterday that Representatives and Senators were already changing their positions on SOPA/PIPA, and the numbers only increased throughout the day. OpenCongress reports that 34 Senators are now on record as being opposed to PIPA, a massive jump over previous numbers. After a quick Google search, here are the names of some representatives who leaped into the anti-SOPA/PIPA camp yesterday: Lee Terry (R-Neb.), Ben Quayle (R-Arizona), Roy Blunt (R-Missouri), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Scott Brown (R-Mass.), Tim Holden (D-Pennsylvania), and former heavy-duty supporter and Hollywood darling Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). Note that some of them were previously undecided about the bills. Other Senators failed to withdraw support, but instead called for a delay in PIPA's vote to give them time to further evaluate and adjust the bill. CNET's Elinor Mills and the always-excellent Declan McCullagh covered the political fallout from the protests. Head over there for reactions from various Congressmen/women. So, SOPA/PIPA are dead, right? As Wikipedia puts it, "Not at all. SOPA sponsor Lamar Smith stated that the House of Representatives will push the bill forward in February. Senate sponsor Patrick Leahy still plans for a PIPA vote on January 24." Don't lose yesterday's momentum! Keep bugging your representatives and let them know you oppose SOPA/PIPA, even if you've already done so. Phone calls have the most impact -- give them a jingle if you've only sent them a letter or signed an e-petition. Just keep the pressure going! Contact your House Representative Contact your Senator

Foxconn Chairman Likens Employees To Animals, Solicits Advice From Zoo Keeper Posted: 19 Jan 2012 10:39 AM PST By all accounts working for Foxconn -- the China-based company that does the actual manufacturing of a lot of consumer electronics, including the Xbox 360 and the various iProducts -- is a horrible drag. Not only is there the threat of massive explosions, but the combination of long hours and low pay have led to a rash of suicides amongst its workers, highlighted by the threat of a mass suicide last week. Why aren't things getting better? The chairman of Foxconn's parent company may have dropped a hint when he likened his workers to animals. ReadWriteWeb pointed us towards the Want China Times, who reports Hon Hai chairman Terry Gou as saying at a year-end party: "Hon Hai has a workforce of over one million worldwide and as human beings are also animals, to manage one million animals gives me a headache." He then quipped that he wanted to hit up the director of the Taipei Zoo for tips on how to handle the herd. What, that isn't offensive enough for you? It gets better/worse: Gou actually tapped Zoo director Chin Shih-chien to give a presentation at Hon Hai's annual review. The WCT says Shih-chien "(shared) his experience with the audience on how to manage different animals according to their individual temperaments" while Gou continued to crack jokes about his work force.

McAffe Promises to Patch Spammy Vulnerability in SasS Total Protection Posted: 19 Jan 2012 10:35 AM PST Two security issues have been identified in McAfee's SaaS Total Protection anti-malware software suite, one of which could allow an attacker to misuse an ActiveX control to execute code and turn affected PCs into spam servers. The other vulnerability involves a misuse of McAfee's "rumor" technology to allow an attacker to use an affected machine as an "open relay," which could also be used to send spam. Fixes for both are coming. "This week, there has been public interest regarding some issues disclosed in McAfee products. McAfee treats security issues in our products very seriously, and so our Product Security team will explain the details around these issues," McAfee said in a blog post. "They do not affect all McAfee products, both are in a single product: SaaS for Total Protection, our hosted anti-malware service. We have mitigating factors already in place that reduce risk, and a patch is coming to remediate any additional risk to our customers." McAfee said it plans to roll out the patch later today after it's finished testing it, and that customers will receive the update automatically. Credit British art firm Kaamar Limited for exposing the vulnerabilities in a blog post of its own after noticing that it's emails were being blocked and blacklisted.

iFixIt Seeks Out Repair Gurus from Around the World, Profiles Them on New Website Posted: 19 Jan 2012 10:00 AM PST We'd love it if you spent the bulk of your online time right here on MaximumPC.com, and we're constantly working hard to deliver awesome online content to keep you coming back. But hey, the Web is big -- really big -- and there are some worthwhile destinations out there. One of our favorites is iFixIt.com, a site dedicated to DIY electronics repair enthusiasts, and these guys aren't afraid to crack open the latest gear to see what makes 'em tick. We dig that kind of mindset. So when our friends at iFixIt told us they were launching a new website, they had our full attention. "This week, we're launching iFixit.org to tell the story of repair. We are going to profile repair gurus from around the world, investigate the motivations of people who fix things, and consider the larger ethical and philosophical issues surrounding repair. It's going to be a blast, and we look forward to bringing you along on the journey," iFixIt stated in an email. iFixIt's founder Kyle Wiens has been hopping around the globe visiting small repair shops in developing countries, chronicling his travels along the way. Some of what he's seen will end up on the new site. "We will also be posting updates about Fixers, a short documentary Kyle and his team of journalists have been developing about electronics repair technicians in cities such as Nairobi, Delhi, and Cairo," iFixIt says. "Currently in post-production, Fixers will be released later this year. iFixit.org will host progress reports, behind-the-scenes goodies, and previously unreleased footage." Being a new site, there's not a ton of content up yet, but like a stack of old electronics, it's starting to pile up. There are posts about about a water pump repair shop in Kenya, finding a good e-waste recycler, Egypt's master car mechanic, and a few other tidbits. You can dive in here. Image Credit: iFixIt

SSDNow V+200 SSDs Command a King's Ransom, Kingston Calls Them "Inexpensive" Posted: 19 Jan 2012 09:38 AM PST A high performing solid state drive at a reasonable price is something every enthusiast wants, but they're harder to find than a needle in a mountain of hay. Kingston believes it's found that balance with its new SSDNow V+200 line. Featuring a SATA 6Gbps interface and SandForce's SF-2281 controller technology, the SSDNow V+200 offers some serious speed for "performance minded yet cost-conscious business or home users," Kingston says. The SSDNow V+200 reads data sequentially at up to 535MB/s and writes sequentially at up to 480MB/s. For the security minded folk, the new series boasts self-encrypting drive technology. But while Kingston pegs these new drives as being "an inexpensive yet powerful upgrade," it's all relative. Here's how the price structure breaks down: 60GB: $140 standalone, $156 upgrade bundle 90GB: $196 standalone, $211 upgrade bundle 120GB: $245 standalone, $260 upgrade bundle 240GB: $479 standalone, $494 upgrade bundle 480GB: $970 standalone, $985 upgrade bundle The upgrade bundle includes cables, brackets, cloning software, and an HDD enclosure so you can mount the 2.5-inch SSDs into 3.5-inch drive bays. With or without, these might be a tough sell to home consumers. OCZ's Vertex 3, for example, sells for less at each capacity, though it's not offered in 480GB capacity. Corsair's Force Series 3 is, and it sells for around $680 street for 480GB, around $300 less than Kingston's SSDNow V+200. Image Credit: Kingston

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• Vampires stalk the shadows of Sudden Attack

King of Kings 3 Chinese New Year Celebration Posted: 19 Jan 2012 02:28 PM PST King of Kings 3 is set to celebrate Chinese New Year with several events.  The Year of the Dragon Gift Box will be given to all players level 20 and up, and will have a variety of favorite items.  Additionally, players level 50 and above will have a chance to earn one of 25 special prizes each day. Players above level 50 will also be able to change their class for free, without the need for potions.  There is also a Select Dragon Apotheosis Gift Box available in the Travelling Shop.  All of these events will run until February 6. King of Kings 3 is published by gamigo, which also publishes Cultures Online and Fiesta Online. King of Kings 3 Gameplay Screenshot Source: King of Kings 3 celebrates Chinese New Year with free gifts, events and more! Hamburg, January 19, 2012 – Chinese New Year has arrived and the fantasy-based PvP MMORPG King of Kings 3 is celebrating the year of the dragon in style. Numerous in-game events and special giveaways have been planned. In addition, some of the community's favorite limited items have been added to the Travelling Shop. Here are just a few examples of what will be occurring: The Year of the Dragon Gift Box is free for all players level 20 and up from now through February 6th. It contains a number of community favorite items. Taking place once each day, all online players level 50 and up will have a chance to earn 1 of 25 special prizes in a special Chinese New Year Lottery. From now through February 6th, all characters level 50 and up will be able to change their class for free without using potions. The Select Dragon Apotheosis Gift Box is available now through February 6th in the Rarity section of the Travelling Shop. The King of Kings 3 team wishes its community members lots of luck and continued in-game success in the year of the dragon! For more info about King of Kings 3, visit the official homepage: kingofkings3.gamigo.com. Visit the official King of Kings 3 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kingofkings3mmo

Elsword Releases New Content Update Posted: 19 Jan 2012 02:21 PM PST Elsword has brought in the new year with a brand new update.  The game promises new landscapes and dungeons, as well as new opponents and bosses. The game has also introduced “Hell Mode” for players wanting a significant challenge to their dungeons.  The new dungeons also feature never before seen bosses and enemies.  They are designed to match a player’s skill, so newbies and pros alike can find a significant challenge waiting for them. Elsword is published by Kill3rCombo. Elsword Gameplay Screenshot Source: Online Action Game Elsword Welcomes New Year with Intense Content Update IRVINE, Calif. – Jan. 19, 2011 – Ringing in the New Year with brand new content, massively multiplayer online (MMO) game Elsword is now offering players fresh arenas where they can put their melee skills to the test. Breathing new life into familiar territories, the expanded manga-themed worlds will feature new landscapes and dungeons to explore, as well as imposing, new adversaries to battle. Located in the worlds of Elder, Bethma and Altera, these all new dungeons feature never before seen bosses and enemies. The secret dungeons are designed to match a player's skill level, so both beginners and more advanced gamers will find a challenge.  For the most enthusiastic and seasoned players, this update also includes "Hell Mode," offering the most extreme dungeon grinds yet! In Elsword, gamers can choose from five specialized and customizable characters as they explore immersive maps and battle to complete dynamic quests. As players progress through the game, they can evolve their fighting styles by upgrading to new job classes and watch as their chosen character matures and gains more fierce abilities and combos. With intuitive and straightforward controls, Elsword offers players of all skill levels the chance to defeat enemies and deal damage, either on a solo mission or cooperatively in a party of up to four players. For those who welcome a challenge, Elsword also delivers action-packed player-versus-player (PvP) combat. To play Elsword and experience the latest features, please visit: http://www.elswordonline.com/. For Elsword information and assets, including a brand new video, please visit: http://gamespress.com/product.asp?c=%2FU%2F%27%3E.

Combat Arms Launches Belly of the Beast Update Posted: 19 Jan 2012 01:46 PM PST Nexon launched the Belly of the Beast update for Combat Arms, today, offering players a brand new PvE map to play. The new map takes place in NEMEXIS HQ, where players fight against augmented guards and a giant gunship boss known as the “Defensive Remote Engagement Assault Drone” (D.R.E.A.D for short).  Four new character abilities have been added as part of this content update as well:  Opportunist, Spoils of War, Parting Gift and Relentless.  The first two allow players to loot fallen enemies and receive a GP boost for doing so, while the latter drop a grenade at your feet when you die, and allow you to respawn faster. Nexon also publishes Vindictus and Mabinogi. Combat Arms Gameplay Screenshot Source: D.R.E.A.D. the Belly of the Beast Nexon America adds a new PvE map, matchmaking features and brand new abilities in the January content update for "Combat Arms" The time is now to ambush NEMEXIS HQ. The notorious corporation that unleashed the Overdose Virus must be annihilated in "Combat Arms," Nexon's high intensity free-to-play first-person shooter game. Nexon launched the "Belly of the Beast" content update today, which introduces the latest player-versus-environment (PvE) map, an expedited matchmaking system and all new player Abilities. Players can now seek revenge for the lives robbed by the experimental virus at NEMEXIS HQ, the newest PvE map. Within the headquarters is a mass of augmented enemy guards and a colossal gunship boss known as the Defensive Remote Engagement Assault Drone (D.R.E.A.D.). Players can jump into the NEMEXIS HQ map by using the new Quick Start feature, which rapidly matches players with their favorite maps and game modes. Players can also enhance the new PvE map experience with the addition of four new Abilities: Opportunist, Spoils of War, Parting Gift and Relentless. Nimble scavengers can now use Opportunist and Spoils of War to loot a primary weapon from a fallen player and receive bonus GP for the plunder. Two additional Abilities will soften the blow of losing a life in battle, as Parting Gift drops a grenade at a fallen player's feet, while Relentless allows players to respawn faster in select modes. For more information about the "Belly of the Beast" update, visit: http://combatarms.nexon.net.

Allods Online Announces Game of Gods Expansion Posted: 19 Jan 2012 01:27 PM PST Allods Online is set to release its new expansion, Game of Gods, this February.  Over 100 new quests and a new raid will be part of the content.  Additionally, a new class — the Bard — will offer players a whole new set of skills to utilize. A new “Great Rank” has been added that will offer players great prestige for completing.  There will also be new PvP battlegrounds, faster ship combat, and an increased level cap to go with these changes.  Allods Online is also introducing an opt-in social system that allows you to show off your accomplishments automatically. Allods Online is published by gPotato, which also publishes AIKA Online and Rappelz. Allods Online Gameplay Screenshot Source: Allods Online Storms into a New Era This February Game of Gods Brings a Full Year's Worth of Content in One Release Sunnyvale, Calif. – January 19, 2012 Forget chapters: Allods Online will crack open a whole new book with the release of "Game of Gods" this February. This radical jump forward in the game's development will bring over a year's worth of new content to both North American and European players. Already one of the most expansive and comprehensive MMORPGs, Allods Online: Game of Gods brings even more game modes, content, and features for both new and veteran players. Dive deep into the machinations of the gods with over 100 new quests and a challenging raid stocked with 10 monstrous bosses that will test the limits of even the most skilled player. Stun your enemies with a slew of skills unique to the all-new bard class, claim great prestige and powers by achieving Great Rank, and face off in teams of 12 in the new PvP battlegrounds. Sneak a peek at the new content with a never-before-seen teaser trailer and gameplay video or dig into the details on the dedicated Allods Online: Game of Gods website! This huge expansion's main features include: · New Quests: Meet the gods of Sarnaut and unravel the mysteries of this strange universe's creation and destruction in a series of over 100 story-driven quests. · New Raid: Challenge 10 powerful bosses in an epic raid designed for the most skilled players. · New Bard Archetype: Master new skills and a new play style with the completely new bard class. · Great Rank: Win ultimate renown by completing an epic quest series to gain an extra skill point, customization slot, and more to make an even stronger character. · Bigger Battlegrounds: Team up to defeat opposing players in the new 12v12 PvP Battlegrounds. · Expanded Astral: Brave the lethal fourth layer of Astral Space with its 13 all new astral allods. · Faster Ship Combat: Spin the ship and fire the cannons faster than ever with newly revamped physics for astral ship battles. · Increased Level Cap: Achieve new heights of power as the level cap expands from 47 to 51. · Share with Friends: Record all your victories with an automatic, opt-in social network system. Soon everyone in Sarnaut will be drawn into the action as the war for the shattered world intensifies, and the Game of Gods has only just begun! Get a head start on the action and keep an eye on all future events and details at the official Allods sites for North America and Europe.

Aeria Games Announces Lime Odyssey Farming System Posted: 19 Jan 2012 01:20 PM PST Aeria Games revealed more information today about their upcoming MMORPG Lime Odyssey.  Farming will play a role in the game, and will allow players to harvest crops or raise livestock in order to receive loot.  Multiple types of both crops and livestock will be available in game, all of which provide unique rewards. Crops and livestock must be monitored and tended to in order to keep its satisfaction level up.  Once the crop or livestock is greatly satisfied, players may harvest them for the loot.  Additional rewards are possible, hwere upon harvesting, players may be rewarded with rare items or higher amounts. Aeria Games also publishes Shaiya and Eden Eternal. Lime Odyssey Gameplay Screenshot Source: Aeria Games Unveils Lime Odyssey: The Chronicles of Orta Farming Feature New Details Revealed for Highly Anticipated Free-to-Play 3D MMORPG SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Jan. 19, 2012 – Aeria Games, a leading global publisher of free-to-play online games, today revealed that Lime Odyssey: The Chronicles of Orta, its highly-anticipated 3D massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), will feature farming as part of its extensive collection of unique gameplay experiences. Lime Odyssey is currently in production and will be published in North America by Aeria Games in 2012. Farming in Lime Odyssey enables players to harvest Crops or Livestock to receive Loot. These can be obtained from a farmer who is normally located by the farms next to any main town. There are various types of Crops and Livestock in Lime Odyssey, each of which yields a unique item. For example, a Cow Token yields fresh milk and a Vegetable Token yields long squash. Process of Harvesting Crops in Lime Odyssey: The Chronicles of Orta: Satisfaction Level and Status – Once a player summons a Crop or Livestock, it must be monitored, fed or healed to increase its level of satisfaction. The status of Crop or Livestock starts at normal but quickly turns to hungry or in pain. Every time a player feeds or heals it the satisfaction level increases. The pet or produce ranges from greatly satisfied to greatly dissatisfied. Harvesting – To harvest Crop or Livestock, a player must reach a status level of greatly satisfied. In some cases, there may be a jackpot reward in which players' yield could include rare recipes, gear, or greater quantities of normal yield. As a result, a pet or produce will disappear once successfully harvested. The pet or produce will grow bigger and yield better rewards if it is left alive and not harvested for a long period of time. At each growth stage, the pet or produce evolves and has a different look. In addition to feeding, healing and harvesting, players also have the option to play with the pet or produce or change its name. Lime Odyssey: The Chronicles of Orta will be free to download and free to play. Interested players can learn more about Lime Odyssey and sign up to participate in the upcoming closed beta test at: http://limeodyssey.aeriagames.com.

Dungeons & Dragons Online Unveils Menace of the Underdark Posted: 19 Jan 2012 01:11 PM PST Turbine has released details about Menace of the Underdark, Dungeons & Dragons Online’s first Expansion Pack. Characters can expect to visit iconic areas in the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons and Dragons, such as Cormyr and the Underdark. The level cap will also be raised to 25, featuring epic level progression.  Additionally, the expansion will introduce the Druid class for players, which brings a shape-shifting element in addition to wilds-based magic. The expansion pack is planned to launch this year. Turbine also publishes Lord of the Rings Online. Dungeons & Dragons Online Gameplay Screenshot Source: warner bros. interactive entertainment and WIZARDS OF THE COAST UNVEIL dUNGEONS & dRAGONS ONLINE®: MENACE OF THE UNDERDARK™ First Expansion to Dungeons & Dragons Online™ Launching Summer 2012 January 19, 2012 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast unveiled today Dungeons & Dragons Online®: Menace of the Underdark™, the first expansion to the award-winning free-to-play massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) developed by Turbine. Menace of the Underdark launches in the Summer of 2012 expanding for the first time into the beloved Forgotten Realms setting and the vast subterranean world of the Underdark, an increased level cap, the new Druid class and much more! "2011 was a year of growth for Dungeons & Dragons Online as we celebrated our fifth anniversary and completed a successful launch of the game in Europe," said Fernando Paiz, Executive Producer of Dungeons & Dragons Online. "2012 is going to be our biggest year yet with a wealth of new content throughout the year including the launch of our first expansion pack. We are very excited to expand into the Forgotten Realms setting with a whole new storyline, level cap increase and the new Druid class!" NEW FEATURES: Ø Journey to the Forgotten Realms- Experience the classic fantasy and adventure of D&D's most imaginative and renowned setting. Arrive in the village of Eveningstar and adventure through the surrounding King's Forest wilderness area where the citizens of the nation of Cormyr must unite to face a new threat to the Realms. Ø Brave the caverns of the Underdark- Come face to face with the Underdark Drow and Lolth, their Queen and goddess, as you explore this vast and twisted, subterranean world. Infiltrate the Drow stronghold of Shindylryn – the city of portals – where Lolth's forces work to further her schemes. Ø Attain Epic levels to 25! Forge your Epic Destiny and create a unique Epic hero with powerful character customization options as you advance beyond level 20 to epic level 25. Ø Play the Druid Class- Play as the all new shape-shifting Druid class! Wield nature's magic or transform into a powerful animal form with this classic D&D class. Dungeons & Dragons Online®(DDO) is a free-to-play MMORPG featuring the industry's best combat system, a massive world with state-of-the-art graphics and gameplay, and a rich set of features that until now could only be found in premium subscription-based MMOs. DDO offers an innovative pricing model that allows players to download and play for free, purchasing adventure packs, items, and account services a la carte from the new DDO Store, or to subscribe to get unlimited access to all of the game's content. Players can download and play DDO Unlimited for free by visiting http://www.ddo.com.

Luvinia reveals Savejela Posted: 19 Jan 2012 12:00 PM PST Luvinia Online has begun Zendo Hunting Season, with the arrival of the new area of Savejela. This area offers 130 new quests, 20 new types of monsters, new rare materials, and new equipment waiting to be crafted. The map is available for players above level 40. Players below level 40 can join in on the limited GM-guided tours, between January 18 and January 25 at 2pm Pacific, from Geneway College. A “SHARE THE LUV” promotion is in place where players can win Planar Essence by referring friends to Luvinia. This essence can be used to unlock secret passages or make items like mounts permanent. Referred players also get a booster pack that includes a Turtle Mount and a set of costumes. Luvinia is published by Outspark, which also publishes Fiesta Online. Two-Headed Fenrir Luvinia Online Gameplay Screenshot Source: Luvinia Online Unleashes Zendo Hunting Season An Extraordinary Journey Across Fire & Ice SAN FRANCISCO – January 19, 2011 – Luvinia Online, the brand new free-to-play fantasy MMORPG from Outspark, today unleashed an exciting new region of the mysterious world of Savejela that is sure to leave players gasping as they embark on 130 new quests, battle 20 new breeds of monsters, collect rare materials, and craft nearly a dozen new weapons and armor. "What defines Luvinia is the sheer majesty of its landscape with vast destinations to explore, extensive training, and rich crafting systems. Friends can quest together for hours and never tire of the adventure," said Philip Yun, CEO of Outspark "In Zendo Hunting Season, developer Shanda Games delivers epic entertainment for the mid-level player and gives new players much to look forward to." Although access to the new map begins at Level 40+, from January 18 through January 25 at 2pm PT, Luvinia Game Masters will be teleporting lower-level players from Geneway College to Zendo for action-packed in-game tours. Space is limited so be sure to gather early. To celebrate the wonder that is Luvinia, Outspark is running an exciting SHARE THE LUV promotion where players refer friends to win valuable Planar Essence that unlocks secret passages and makes special items permanent like the awesome new Desert Panther Mount. Friends get an extra boost too with a helpful new user pack that includes a Turtle mount, riding skills and choice of chic costumes. For the free Luvinia game download, details on Zendo events, and to join the SHARE THE LUV promotion, visit http://luvinia.outspark.com. Stay up-to-date on all the latest news including exclusive sneak peeks of the February surprise by following Luvinia on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/outsparkluvinia and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/#/luviniagame . It's going to be huge – stay tuned!

Vampires stalk the shadows of Sudden Attack Posted: 19 Jan 2012 11:23 AM PST Sudden Attack has gained a new game mode overnight – Vampire Mode. Vampire Mode is a match where all players start as regular humans… until one transforms into the host vampire. This vampire will then turn on other players, and begin converting others into vampires during the match. The goal for the humans  is to survive without becoming infected. Players will have increased speed, attack power, and health regeneration through skills, and grow stronger with each kill they make. Special weapons including holy hand grenades, stakes, and blessed guns are also available in the match. The mode debuts with two new maps – Vampire London and Vampire G-Cube. New special purchases designed for Vampire Mode are also now available in the cash shop. Sudden Attack is published by Nexon, which also publishes Combat Arms and Dragon Nest. Vampire Mode Sudden Attack Gameplay Screenshot Source: Embrace Your Bloodlust in "Sudden Attack" Vampire Mode and new cash shop items will get the blood flowing this winter Nexon is debuting a new game mode today in "Sudden Attack," the newest title in Nexon America's growing portfolio of microtransaction-based online games. The new Vampire Mode transports players to a gothic setting where terror lurks around every corner and the drive to survive has never been greater. All players begin the match as humans, but soon thereafter a randomly chosen player will transform into the host vampire. Panic will then ensue as the host vampire can turn other players into ferocious bloodsuckers. Players who survive the round in the time allotted without falling prey to the creatures of the night will be victorious and live to fight another day. Two new maps specific to Vampire Mode debut with today's content release, Vampire London and Vampire G-Cube. In Vampire London, players will traverse the streets of old London as they hunt (or hide from) the vampires lurking in their midst. Vampire G-Cube is a low-gravity complex that adds a whole new dimension to "Sudden Attack's" new vampiric game of hide-and-seek. Both vampire and human players will have access to skills that grant increased speed, attack power and health regeneration, adding another layer of strategy to the mix. Additionally, both vampires and humans grow stronger with each kill they make. Exclusive to Vampire Mode, players can use special weaponry designed to aid in their vampire hunt, such as holy hand grenades, stakes and assault and sniper rifles blessed with holy power. To aid in the hunt for human players, the Josephine coupon is now available to purchase for use exclusively in Vampire Mode. The coupon allows players to transform into a truly nightmarish vampire with the ability to incapacitate human players, and also start the game with increased health, movement speed and jumping capability. A new femme fatale pack is also available to purchase from the cash shop, which contains Red Gazelle and Judith Hawk.

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Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

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• Top Games of 2012 Video
• Rumor
• Eve Online Crucible 1.1 update coming soon
• [PAX 2011] Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• The Top 3DS and DS Games of 2012
• Why Japanese Games are Breaking Up With the West
• F.E.A.R.: Origin Online (KR)
• The Top PSP and PS Vita Games of 2012
• Age Of Conan’s House Of Crom launches
• Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes

Top Games of 2012 Video Posted: 19 Jan 2012 05:22 AM PST You may have noticed us spamming the site with games of 2012 lists for the past week. Or you may not have been paying attention. But we’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about the future, and as the final entry in that bag of fun, everyone around here picked their most anticipated game for the year ahead. Then we made a video! Then we went all crazy and embedded that video into this news story so you guys could make your own picks easily below. If you feel like it! Posted by: admin in Gaming News Find related article at: http://www.1up.com/news/top-games-of-2012 Thank you for Visiting Gameforumer.com, Hope you enjoyed the stay with us.

Rumor Posted: 19 Jan 2012 05:22 AM PST According to Korean media ThisIsGame, Nexon is set to reveal the 5 playable classes found in Mabinogi II. This event, called “BORDERLESS”, is being held by Nexon to display the various artwork from the company’s games. In the short teaser trailer below, 5 classes resembling a mage, archer, warrior, bard and an unknown class is shown sitting around a campfire. BORDERLESS will begin at the end of this month, lasting a total of 20 days in Dosan Park Art Gallery, Seoul. Posted by: admin in Gaming News Find related article at: http://www.mmoculture.com/2012/01/rumor-mabinogi-ii-reveals-5-characters.html Thank you for Visiting Gameforumer.com, Hope you enjoyed the stay with us.

Eve Online Crucible 1.1 update coming soon Posted: 19 Jan 2012 05:22 AM PST CCP have been working hard to inspire players to return to Eve Online after the disasterous reception of Incarna last summer. Crucible did much to win over many players with server stats showing an incredibly positive upward trend, but CCP are hoping further improvements on offer in their 1.1 update, due 24th January, will continue the trend. Some of the highlights promised: Customizable Neocom Tech 2 Module tweaks Blaster ammo balancing Enhanced chat and fleet features Simplified module naming conventions New shield modules and adjustments to capital ship module requirements The most obvious of the new updates will likely be improvements to the Neocom, Eve's interface. CCP originally promised much-needed improvements to the Neocom a year ago, but it seems the wait is over. "We did decide to push the Neocom project a bit back, as we felt it hadn't received all the love it needed, and then, well, last year happened, so the project kind of got lost in all the turbulence," explains CCP Optimal. "Most of the promises made in the old devblog still hold. You will now be able to fully customize the Neocom according to your own play style; If you never use, say, the Corporation window, you can simply remove it from the Neocom. If you later get dragged into some serious Corp business and feel the need to put the Corporation button back in front, you simply drag it back from the EVE menu, which is accessed by clicking the new "E" button at top of the Neocom or pressing the appropriate shortcut key." If you want to read more about Crucible 1.1 you can find them all on CCP's Crucible Features page has all the details. Posted by: admin in Gaming News Find related article at: http://www.totalpcgaming.com/latest-pc-news/eve-online-crucible-1-1-update-coming-soon/ Thank you for Visiting Gameforumer.com, Hope you enjoyed the stay with us.

[PAX 2011] Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Posted: 19 Jan 2012 01:27 AM PST So, I thought there will be only 2 posts on PAX 2011, but it seems there might be one or two more new ones coming. I am sure by now most of you would have heard of Valve’s remake of the the original Counter-Strike, officially named as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a cross-platform multiplayer shooter coming to consoles and PC next year. Wondering how “different” CS:GO is? Well, the interview by GameSpot below seems to answer most questions. Accompanying the interview footage above, here are some videos of the game from IGN. Once again, I am a paying member of both GameSpot and IGN, so stop pointing fingers and say that I am ripping off websites. Enjoy the videos and I can’t wait for beta to begin! Posted by: admin in Gaming News Find related article at: http://www.mmoculture.com/2011/08/pax-2011-counter-strike-global.html Thank you for Visiting Gameforumer.com, Hope you enjoyed the stay with us.

The Top 3DS and DS Games of 2012 Posted: 18 Jan 2012 05:17 PM PST Bravely Default: Flying Fairy Square Enix | Matrix Software While most people have been hung on up this game’s absolutely terrible name since it debuted at Tokyo Game Show last year — and let’s be honest, it’s horrible, a perfect example of why people should find native speakers of the language they’re naming their games in — lost amidst the titters seems to be the fact that this game looks absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. Based on its development staff, its visual style, and its play mechanics, it seems to be a sequel to Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light for all intents and purposes. And while 4 Heroes itself was largely overlooked due to being a weird take on Final Fantasy in the dying days of the DS, maybe Bravely Default will fare better attached to a system on the rise and free of the preconceptions attached to the Final Fantasy brand. Let’s just hope they come up with a better title with it if they localize it into the U.S., where people speak English and understand that “Bravely Default” sounds really stupid. Posted by: admin in Gaming News Find related article at: http://www.1up.com/features/top-3ds-ds-games-2012 Thank you for Visiting Gameforumer.com, Hope you enjoyed the stay with us.

Why Japanese Games are Breaking Up With the West Posted: 18 Jan 2012 01:28 PM PST “It’s not you, it’s me.” That’s the message the Japanese gaming industry is telling the world this week at TGS. “Our games are as good as ever, they’re just not for you anymore.” Critics in the west have been crowing about the supposed death of the Japanese industry for years. And while their critiques have a certain degree of truth to them, they’re missing the point. Japanese game development did run into trouble during this console generation, but their issues are so removed from the average gamer’s experience (workforce and labor management) as to be meaningless. The games themselves are as good as they’ve ever been, but they’re just not made for the entire world anymore. Japanese games are now by and large made to appeal almost exclusively to Japanese gamers. Rather than this being another piece that focuses on the alleged downfall of the Japanese industry, we thought we should focus on why Japanese games and western tastes have diverged so much in recent years. There’s no single cause that can explain the phenomena — the possible reasons range from the social and economic, to the practical and mundane. Regardless, the fact remains that Japanese gamers are now seeking different experiences from European games. Gamer taste in both regions underwent a massive sea change in recent years. While the slow takeover of the AAA console space by former PC heavy-hitting franchises, genres and studios like Fallout, FPS games, and BioWare changed the tastes of the western market in the past decade, other forces have been working on Japan in the same time. The reasons for the shift in Japanese gamer taste are numerous, but there are three that western gamers in the country continuously note — a peculiar emotion called moe, the Japanese concept of hobbies and adulthood, and a tradition of disparaging foreign games. moe The concept of moe (pronounced MOH-ay) is incredibly important amongst Japan’s indigenous nerd population, otherwise known as otaku. While there are train otaku, military otaku, and otaku of all kinds, a great many of them focus on the geeky triad of anime, manga, and video games; the three media influence each other and are often linked together. moe is a word that Otaku will often use at the sight of a cute, large-eyed juvenile character, but when asked point blank “What does moe mean?” most are unable to offer a coherent answer. It is an amorphous concept. The word is often used by westerners familiar with Japan to describe the lolicon (short for Lolita Complex) art style which focuses on young, often pre-pubescent girls, and seems to feature a disturbing mix of childlike cuteness with subtle and not-so-subtle sexual overtones. This definition is not quite right according to Patrick Galbraith, a researcher of otaku culture at the University of Tokyo. “moe is an affective response to a fictional character or representations of a character. There are two things that are important to note about this definition. First, we are talking about a response. moe is used not to describe a character type or style, but rather characters that are likely to trigger a response or are designed with that in mind. This implies that there are a range of different characters that appeal men and women or various ages and orientations. Second, moe is a response to fictional characters, not actual people. Without this distinction, moe is conflated with descriptions such as “cute” or “sexy.” moe describes the emotions that otaku feel upon seeing, thinking of, or interacting with a certain kind of character. Depending on the person, this character may or may not fit the little girl image that western game critics have come to associate with the word. It may be used by female anime, manga, or game fans that enjoy “Boys Love” media which feature homosexual pairings between popular characters for example. So what exactly does this mean for games? It actually depends on which ones you’re talking about — for the biggest titles it means nothing, but it means everything to smaller publishers and developers. The business model for small games in Japan can only be sustained by catering to a small yet rabid fan base that’s willing to pay a premium for content. AAA titles normally sell for between the equivalent of $40-$60, while smaller niche titles are usually priced at $80-plus. Small developers make their money by selling less at a higher profit margin, while major publishers sell more for less. If you publish small games in Japan you have to give your fans what you want, and since your fans are otaku who revel in moe, you’ll give them games filled with the characters that elicit that response — which are usually young, childlike girls. Between August and December of this year there are a total of 35 games set for release in Japan which follow this exact model. There are more games like this than there are FPSs in the west. By catering to their fan base, smaller publishers have alienated many western fans. moe‘s effect on AAA games has not been as direct. If you want to make a massive hit, you can’t sell it only to the small crowd who wants to ogle 2D characters, as Galbraith points out. “What moe game has as many players as Monster Hunter? What franchise has been as successful as Pokémon? What moe characters have had the cultural impact of those of Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball? The point is that they are not the majority of the audience, and the most popular and bestselling works in Japan are not those targeting moe fans.” If smaller games are catering to an almost exclusively Japanese audience, that still leaves mainstream titles for the rest of the world to enjoy, right? Well, not as many as there used to be. Posted by: admin in Gaming News Find related article at: http://www.1up.com/features/japanese-games-breaking-west Thank you for Visiting Gameforumer.com, Hope you enjoyed the stay with us.

F.E.A.R.: Origin Online (KR) Posted: 18 Jan 2012 11:14 AM PST I always thought there is quite a huge fan base for this franchise, but apparently not many are getting excited about this upcoming online remake of the game. Perhaps it is because F.E.A.R.: Origin Online is currently slated for a Korean release only. Well, no matter what, the 2nd trailer for this horror shooter was just made public a couple of hours ago. The trailer above shows some PvP action between 2 groups of 4, including the usage of mecha-like EPA (Elite Powered Armor) during battles. Fighting through the zombies, players will also have to escape the infested hospital. For now, there are 3 modes announced: scenario (4 players co-op), fear (players begin as spirits, taking over NPCs and using them to fight against opposing team, unsure if opposing team will get this function as well) and finally, normal mode (maps such as team demolition and free-for-all).

The Top PSP and PS Vita Games of 2012 Posted: 18 Jan 2012 05:14 AM PST It’s a PSP game Posted: 3 hours ago by  almostautumn Google “Type-0 Vita/PSP comparison” to see just what they mean. The overall art of Type-0 simply looks a lot more prominent on the Vita, but it is not a Vita title. So for all PSP users who won’t be fetching the Vita, don’t worry. If it gets localized, it’s yours as well. As for the graphics; if you’ve played the “Summer” demo, then you know what to expect, which is gorgeous. Will be nice with HD, but it’s really just a bonus for Vita users okay playing a game without trophies (?).

Age Of Conan’s House Of Crom launches Posted: 18 Jan 2012 05:14 AM PST Funcom's flagship MMORPG, Age Of Conan: Unchained, gets a huge free content update today. House Of Crom is available to both free and premium Age Of Conan players and features two new dungeons in the ancient halls of The House Of Crom. "We are very excited to see such a great reaction from the players," said Game Director Craig Morrison. "The House of Crom adds a large number of new encounters and content for our veteran players." The House Of Crom includes a social dungeon that supports mulitple groups who can adventure simultaneously within its halls, and one instanced dungeon. Both are the largest dungeons in the game so far. Age Of Conan switched from subscription to a free-to-play model last year, changing its name to Age Of Conan: Unchained and scoring an extra 300,000 players in the process. You can download the client from the offical Age Of Conan: Unchained website. Posted by: admin in Gaming News Find related article at: http://www.totalpcgaming.com/latest-pc-news/age-of-conans-house-of-crom-launches/ Thank you for Visiting Gameforumer.com, Hope you enjoyed the stay with us.

Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes Posted: 18 Jan 2012 01:31 AM PST (Official website) There ain’t really any interesting news these few days, hence I haven’t been posting much. There are a couple of awesome retails PC games coming and coming “soon” with the likes of Battlefield 3, Diablo III and more. So, in order not to stay stagnant, I have uploaded a few game footage for Bioware’s latest Free to Play title, Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes. The videos are from Closed Beta by the way, and I was kind of disappointed it wasn’t more action-based. I mean, point-and-click in such a nice PvP game with normal attack as one of the unchangeable skills as well? Sigh… But well, you might love it! Posted by: admin in Gaming News Find related article at: http://www.mmoculture.com/2011/09/warhammer-online-wrath-of-heroes-game.html Thank you for Visiting Gameforumer.com, Hope you enjoyed the stay with us.

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