MMOGaming News

MMOGaming News

Brick Force Announced Closed and Open Beta Schedule

Posted:

Brick Force Announced Closed and Open Beta Schedule


Selected players will be able to experience the sandbox shooter starting February 28.

1.7 Million Users Make SWTOR "the Fastest Growing Subscription MMO in History"

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1.7 Million Users Make SWTOR "the Fastest Growing Subscription MMO in History"


Despite of the notorious dancing exploit, Ilum PvP issues, and the rumored gay content, SWTOR is still a successful game in the first several months.

C9 VVIP Test Today With Royal Frost Guild

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C9 VVIP Test Today With Royal Frost Guild


This is some screenshot I take today in town together with GMs and Media. More Screenshot coming up. Stay tune with Royal Frost.

Review on Dragona's CBT in Japan

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Review on Dragona's CBT in Japan


Dragona, a new title from Nexon kicked off its CBT in Japan on February 1st. In the game, people play the role of Dragona and fight for stopping the revival of the sealed evil dragon. Here, we'd like to give an introduction to the greatest feature of Dragona: Awakening System (Dragon Transformation System).

Upcoming Tribes: Ascend Updates Class Customization, New Class, New UI

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Upcoming Tribes: Ascend Updates Class Customization, New Class, New UI


Hi-Rez adds players' most-requested changes to multiplayer shooter Beta.

APB - Another Threat System! Oh Rly! AGAIN!?

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APB - Another Threat System! Oh Rly! AGAIN!?


That's right people, APB threat system just received another respec or set of new functions... Now instead of having the old character threat system based on how good you play or hack, the game now uses an account wide threat system...

Valve is Making a Testing Version for Dota 2

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Valve is Making a Testing Version for Dota 2


We got nothing today? Nope! We got an essential piece of news today. Like MMOs get Public Test Server(PTS), Dota 2 will get a new version Dota 2 Test specifically for testing new content in advance. It means that we will get two updates weekly this week, or at least next week. When it comes to test, there must be some testers recruiting event.

Elsword: Characters Getting All Dressed up in Gridiron Gear

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Elsword: Characters Getting All Dressed up in Gridiron Gear


While New England and New York battle it out on the football field, Elsword players can battle tough bosses and complete dynamic quests. In exclusive North American screenshots, gamers can get a glimpse of the athletic new additions their favorite characters can now sport (pun intended).

Fantasy Dungeon Crawler Mythos Global Opens Its OBT Door Today

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Fantasy Dungeon Crawler Mythos Global Opens Its OBT Door Today


The open beta test for Mythos Global, Hanbitsoft and T3Fun's upcoming fantasy dungeon crawler, opens its doors to the public today with the start of the open beta testing period.

GDC 2012 To Feature Sessions Led By Industry All-Stars

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GDC 2012 To Feature Sessions Led By Industry All-Stars


Main Conference to Kick-Off with 'Flash Forward' Session Previewing 150+ Talks; GDC 2012 Also Introduces Track Keynotes featuring Blizzard, Bungie, PopCap, Supergiant, Square Enix and Zynga.

Grand Chase: Europe Closed Beta Now Available!

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Grand Chase: Europe Closed Beta Now Available!


SG Interactive is bringing true player-versus-player (PVP) action to the European Union with the closed beta launch of free-to-play MMORPG, Grand Chase: Europe.

TERA(EU) Pre-Order Live! The Sneak Peek to Run on Saturday

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TERA(EU) Pre-Order Live! The Sneak Peek to Run on Saturday


Starting on February 4th 2012, players will be able to jump into the world of TERA and those who have a special access key will be able to experience the thrill of true action combat.

Ask Allods Online's Community Manager Anything You Want to Know

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Ask Allods Online's Community Manager Anything You Want to Know


PioPico is the community manager for Allods Online and will help be a resource to answer any questions about the game.

Queens Blade Website Adds Adult Zone

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Queens Blade Website Adds Adult Zone


Through the login identification the site provides more adult material including a brand new adult-video and a bunch of bare and sexy female classes screenshots.

The Old Days Used to be Better??? - Rant...

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The Old Days Used to be Better??? - Rant...


Hey guys, it looks like TOR is about a month old now... So everyone is like, OMG!!!! The game is going to die because the free month ran out...

Which Class Will You Choose to Play in C9 Global?

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Which Class Will You Choose to Play in C9 Global?


It's important to choose the one that's suitable to you and I believe gender lock will affect your choice.

SWTOR Flashpoint Guide - Kaon Under Siege

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SWTOR Flashpoint Guide - Kaon Under Siege


Kaon under Siege is a new flashpoint for level 50s introduced with patch 1.1. It has a distinct "zombie" like theme and does differ from some of the previous flashpoints in terms of overall difficulty (bosses have no enrage it seems).
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMORPG Videos

MMORPG Videos

Star Trek Online: The 2800 Return

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 03:58 PM PST

Perfect World Entertainment and Cryptic Studios have announced that Episode 4: The 2800 will begin on Saturday, February 11th. To celebrate the announcement, the team has released a brand new trailer to get players in the mood for revenge! Check it out!

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Tips and Tricks to Winning Alderaan

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 12:20 AM PST

Pokket gives her latest and greatest advice for winning on Alderaan in Game Face: Tips & Tricks to Winning Alderaan. See what you think! http://www.mmorpg.com

World of Tanks: v7.2 Trailer

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 05:12 AM PST

Wargaming.net has announced that World of Tanks will shortly be updated to v7.2. The patch is slated to bring big changes to the game including a pair of new maps, new crew skills, an integrated new player tutorial and more. http://www.mmorpg.com http://worldoftanks.com/registration/
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMORPG Reviews

MMORPG Reviews

European Free-to-play Aion closed beta key giveaway

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 08:34 AM PST

Frogster / Gameforge 4D / NCSoft with FREE MMORPG and MMO Reviews, is celebrating a Closed Beta Giveaway for the European Free-to-play version of Aion. The Closed Beta Starts today 2/2/2012 and Ends 16/02/2012 First of all Follow us on Facebook: . After that add your email in the field below the image of the [...]

World of Tanks has announced its content update 7.2

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 07:31 AM PST

World of Tanks has announced its content update 7.2 that comes with new maps, Live Oaks and Campania, and lots of new tanks like the M8A1, the T49, the M18 Hellcat, the T25-2, the T28 Prototype, the T30, the T1105, the T34 and the M103.

Tribes: Ascend has announced its most significant update to the date

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 06:59 AM PST

Hi-Rez Studios has announced the most significant update to date for Tribes: Ascend. The upcoming update will include additional class customization and a much more polished user interface that really showcases the sci-fi, high resolution graphics of Tribes: Ascend.Hi-Rez will be collapsing the total number of playable classes from 12 to 9, but adding the [...]

Mythos Global has started its open beta

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 06:51 AM PST

Hanbitsoft and T3Fun's has started the open beta test for its upcoming fantasy dungeon crawler Mythos Global. With this international Open Beta, Mythos Global will be available to thousands of new players. The nebula where planet Uld resides will offer players countless quests and adventures fit for any dungeon master. Mythos' fantasy universe is home [...]

Auto Club Revolution closed beta key giveaway

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 06:42 AM PST

Eutechntyx with FREE MMORPG and MMO Reviews,  is celebrating a Closed Beta Giveaway for Auto Club Revolution. First of all Follow us on Facebook: . After that add your email in the field below the image of the promo and check your email account and follow the instructions. Then enter here and enter your details [...]

FireFall has released a Closed Beta Gameplay Live stream videos

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 06:21 AM PST

Red5 Studios has released a series of live stream gameplay videos of the closed beta of FireFall. FireFall Closed Beta Gameplay Live stream Part 1/7 FireFall Closed Beta Gameplay Live stream Part 2/7 Firefall is a team-based action shooter. Join your friends in an epic online campaign across a vast open world to stop the [...]

Aeria games has released the Sci-Fi MMOFPS Repulse

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 03:58 AM PST

Aeria Games, has launched its new sci-fi themed MMOFPS game, Repulse. Following the heels of successful beta testing, Repulse is now fully live and ready to play with an updated client featuring a wealth of exciting new additions and improvements including additional maps. Experience Repulse's striking 3D graphics while battling enemies in the game's futuristic, [...]

Cross Fire has released the new Hero Mode X update

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 02:29 AM PST

G4BOX Inc, has released a new update for its free-to-play military shooter, Cross Fire. The free update features the new Hero Mode X, which puts players in control of one of two new playable characters: the electricity-equipped alien "Xeno", or the dual kukri-wielding Commando. The Hero Mode X update also includes six new weapons: a [...]

Tera has presented its different pre-order options

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 01:29 AM PST

TERA has announced that you can now buy either a digital or retail pre-order version of the game. If you pre-order TERA, you'll receive special items such as a ring and earring, as well as a special mount. The type of mount depends on the retailer and version you choose. Different pre-order options: Digital Pre-Order [...]

BlackLight Retribution has released a new trailer named “Intel-Report: Deadlock”

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 12:41 AM PST

Zombie Studios has released a new trailer of Blacklight Retribution named “Intel-Report: Deadlock“. In this new trailer Blacklight Retribution presents one its deadliest maps by showing off key choke-points and weapon depots that players can use for their advantage.
Posted by Shri Krishna


General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

AMD's New Direction For 2012: Heterogenous Computing, Trinity, and Hondo

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 03:35 PM PST

 

AMD emphasizes Trinity and introduces new "Hondo" ultra low power chip

Despite major layoffs last year, AMD is stepping forward with an impressive portfolio of initiatives and products for the next few years. Perhaps the most exciting initiative is the company's Heterogeneous System Architecture plan.

For an in-depth look at AMD's new roadmap, see the gallery at the bottom of this page

HSA will eventually erase the line between the CPU and GPU and remove such painful tasks for programmers as juggling data between the CPU and GPU. That will happen by first allowing the GPU to access the CPU's main memory. Eventually the CPU and GPU will use the same address space for memory too, making it easier still. That's is the key promise behind HSA though—making it easier for programmers to access the parallel capabilities of a GPU. Another interesting aspect of HSA will be the ability to add third-party intellectual property or accelerators on an APU with HSA. AMD will try to garner industry support for HSA by making it an open standard and is inviting is competitors to adopt it as well.

Fusion a hit

AMD said its Brazos and Llano APUs were smash hits with 20 million Brazos chips and 10 million Llano chips shipping last year. The company says Brazos has been its most successful mobile processor to date.  As such, the company has high expectations for its Brazos 2.0 and Trinity chips.

Brazos 2.0 will bring native USB 3.0 and improved performance-per-watt. E-series Brazos will come in at 18 TDP, C-series at 9 TDP and a new ultra low power chip called "Hondo" consuming 4.5 watts.

Trinity will use the company's new Piledriver cores and is expected to increase performance 25 percent over an equivalent Llano processor with a new graphics core offering a 50 percent performance increase. AMD says Trinity will offer twice the performance-per-watt and promises "all day" use with more than 12 hours of battery life. It is a mobile versions of the Trinity that AMD is pushing for its Ultrathin initative – an alternative to Intel's Ultrabooks. AMD says Trinity will allow notebook makers to push out quad-core APUs with 50 percent better graphics and better battery life than even Intel's upcoming Ivy Bridge processor in a notebook just 18mm thick. To do that, AMD is now introducing a ball grid array or BGA version, instead of the traditional socket and pin design.

If you've wondered what AMD was doing pushing an alterantive to Intel and Apple's Thunderbolt, the company made it clear with a demonstration of Lightning bolt. A Trinity-equipped notebook will let you plug in multiple monitors using a single DisplayPort 1.2 interface and play a Blu-ray movie across the integrated USB 3.0 interface.

Next year, AMD will introduce its "Sea Islands" GPU lineup. Fusion APU's will see "Kaveri" on the performance segment with new Steamroller cores. We'll also see low power "Kabini" using a new Jaguar core and a sequel to Hondo codenamed "TemasH' will also be introduced. All will be based on a 28nm process. All of APU's except Temash will feature HSA as well.

Notably absent was any announcements over the traditional meat-and-potatoes performance desktop processors. Officials mostly ignored AM3+ chips but did casually add that performance desktops will be fulfilled by Opteron. That means performance AMD fans will likely see the Opteron's Piledriver, Steamroller and Excavator cores over time but it's clear where AMD is putting its focus these days: APUs.

 

Google Reveals "Bouncer" Malware Filter for Android Apps

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 03:08 PM PST

amGoogle's Android OS often takes a beating from security companies for it's occasional malware scares. Google has not been silent on the matter in the past, but the OS maker revealed today that it is taking action to combat Android malware. In fact, it has been taking action for the last few months without telling us. Google's Bouncer project is an automated security scanner that will apparently filter malware from the Market.

Google allows anyone to pay the $25 to become a developer, and start uploading apps to the Android Market. Unlike Apple, Google does not review apps by hand. That has led to some embarrassing malware outbreaks, but that's what Bouncer is supposed to stop. Bouncer simulates the app in the cloud to look for suspicious behavior. It also looks for patterns in developer accounts to make sure that the bad guys can't keep signing up after being given the boot.

The makers of antivirus software love to publicize malware outbreaks, and can sometimes get ahead of themselves. Case in point, Symantec had to retract its assertion last week that millions of Android devices had been infected with malware in the Market. Turns out the apps simply had aggressive ads. Google says that malicious apps in the Market have dropped 40% since Bouncer was deployed. Do you still find malware in the Market?

Peek Offering Leftover Devices to Hackers

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 02:51 PM PST

peekThe Peek was a bizarre device from the start. In an age when devices are converging and the smartphone rules the pocket, the Peek was a single use email device. Now that the Peek service has been killed, CEO Amol Sarva has let it be known that the company is planning to unload a few thousand of the devices on hardware modders and hackers. You just have to drop him a line.

The Peek is a portrait QWERTY device with a small QVGA screen, sluggish ARMv7 processor, and a GSM cellular radio. By no means is this a super-device, but it might just be perfect for a determined hacker. Sarva said Peek might even throw in some development tools to help people make something cool out of the Peek. Apparently they will need all the help they can get, because even Sarva admits the OS "sucks." 

Interested parties should email Sarva at amol@peek.ly to express interest. A developer will get in touch with you later. It's not clear if the company is looking to sell the units cheap, or just give them away. Anyone going to try getting one?

More Domain Seizures By Feds Just in Time for Super Bowl

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 02:37 PM PST

dojThe Department of Justice and Homeland Security ICE division are at it again, and have this time seized more than 300 domains in advance of the Super Bowl. The overwhelming majority of the domains shut down today were selling counterfeit NFL merchandise, but 16 were linking to copyrighted content or video streams. The proprietor of several of those sites had been arrested in Michigan.

"We are grateful for Homeland Security Investigations' tireless efforts in combating intellectual property theft," said the NFL's VP of legal affairs. The streaming domains had names like firstrow.tv, and sports95.org. Now all that users will get when visiting those domains is the now familiar DOJ/ICE warning banner. These controversial seizures have thus far resulted in 669 domains disappearing from the net. 

Several sites seem to have slipped past law enforcement, and have set up shop at other domain names. This is not the first time sports streamers and counterfeiters have been targeted at this time of year, and it probably won't be the last.

WD TV Live Vs. NetGear NeoTV: Streamer Showdown

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 01:23 PM PST

One of these things is not like the other

Media streamers like the Western Digital WD TV Live and Netgear NeoTV make just a little less sense than they did a couple of years ago. In those days, they were the perfect alternative to stuffing a home theater PC into your entertainment center. These days, you can get nearly all the same functionality from a new Blu-ray player or a Smart TV.

On the other hand, the latest incarnations of these two products cost less than a new Blu-ray player, and they're several orders of magnitude cheaper than a new HDTV (or a home theater PC, for that matter). And while they do have some features in common, the NeoTV delivers far fewer features than the WD TV Live and is priced accordingly, so we're not making a direct head-to-head comparison between the two here.

Western Digital WD TV Live

For a company whose primary business is manufacturing hard drives, Western Digital sure knows a lot about digital media and how to stream it over a network. Each succeeding generation of the company's WD TV Live product has led the market in terms of features, price, and performance, and this one is no different.

With this incarnation, WD adds several new services (including Hulu Plus and Spotify), a collection of simple online games, an integrated Wi-Fi adapter, and even the ability to decode Dolby TrueHD. Unlike the pricier WD TV Live Hub, which remains in Western Digital's lineup, this product does not include any local storage. But it is equipped with two USB 2.0 ports, so you can easily connect a portable drive. You can also connect a USB keyboard, which makes initial setup (entering Wi-Fi and network user IDs and passwords, for instance) considerably easier than hunting and pecking using the remote and the onscreen keyboard.


The third-generation WD TV Live is thinner and more capable than previous models, and the remote is significantly better.

Most people will connect the WD TV Live to their entertainment system using the HDMI 1.4 port (you'll need to provide your own cable), but the device will happily accommodate older equipment with its analog A/V and digital S/PDIF outputs. There's also an Ethernet port in the back panel, but the integrated 802.11b/g/n wireless client adapter proved plenty fast for streaming video at 720p—an impressive achievement, considering that we tested the box in a room-within-a-room home theater at Maximum PC Lab North. We needed a hardwired connection to stream video at 1080p. Image quality was excellent.

The remote is easily the best that WD has come up with so far, with a molded grip that feels very natural in either hand. We needed to bend our thumb to reach the alpha-numeric keypad on the bottom half the device, but we seldom use those buttons, anyway. We used the home, arrow, mute, and transport (play/pause, stop, fast forward/rewind, and skip forward/back) buttons far more frequently, and those are all within easy reach. The remote also has four shortcut buttons—labeled A, B, C, and D—that can be custom programmed.


Plenty of device support here, with both analog and digital audio and video outputs.

Western Digital offers a strong collection of online movie and music services in addition to the new ones mentioned earlier. You'll find all the old standbys here, including Netflix, YouTube, and Pandora; but you'll also get CinemaNow, Blockbuster on Demand, Live365, and several others. Unfortunately, you won't be able to tap what we consider to be the best online, on-demand movie service of them all: Vudu. Western Digital does deserve praise for its broad media file and container file support, which includes the video standards AVI, MKV, MPEG-1/2/4, h.264, VOB, and M2TS (the container for Blu-ray movies); the audio formats AAC, FLAC, OGG, and MP3 (including 24-bit/48kHz FLAC); and the digital photo formats BMP, JPEG, and PNG. The device supports playlists and subtitles, too.

The WD TV Live is the best full-featured media streamer you can buy today, but we'd like it even more if it included Vudu.

score:9ka
Western Digital WD TV Live
$120 street
www.wdc.com

Netgear NeoTV NTV200

Craving a spot at the commercial online media buffet, but not at all interested in ripping your own media? Netgear has just the right dish. The NeoTV taps your broadband connection to serve up Netflix, Vudu, Pandora, YouTube, Picasa, and plenty of other online services; but it can't tap media stored on your own network, and it doesn't have any USB ports to access local storage.

We initially considered this to be a major disappointment: If you own a late-model Blu-ray player or a Smart TV, the NeoTV has very little to offer. But plenty of us haven't made such investments, and if online entertainment is all you're looking for, Netgear's device costs $40 less than Western Digital's. You're not getting as many features, but you're  also not being forced to pay for features you won't utilize.


Anyone considering buying one of Roku's streaming boxes should take a long look at what Netgear has to offer with the NeoTV NTV200.

The NeoTV's built-in 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi adapter performed just as well as the one inside the WD TV Live—we had no problem streaming Netflix and Vudu movies without wires (although we were once again limited to 720p resolution; we needed to plug in a CAT5 cable to enjoy Vudu movies at 1080p). The only other connectivity features on the box are HDMI and S/PDIF—there's no support for analog audio or video devices at all.

Netgear provides a very basic remote control with the NeoTV. We have no complaint with the button layout, and we like the clicky, tactile feel it provides much better than the mushy buttons on Western Digital's controller; but there's no alpha-numeric keypad for typing search queries (you must use the arrow buttons to navigate an onscreen keyboard), and there's no mute button. But Netgear redeems itself with a free app that will turn your iPhone or Android phone into a compatible remote. That's sure to come in handy when the regular remote's two coin batteries crap out late one evening.


Netgear's app lets you use your smartphone as a remote.

There's also a very good collection of streaming media services on tap. While Western Digital scores a big win with its support for Spotify, Netgear can deliver movies in HD and in surround sound on demand via Vudu. And if you're a Napster subscriber, you can listen to your tunes on the NeoTV, but not on the WD TV Live. There's a long list of other less interesting services, including a host of video podcasts (does anyone actually watch those?) and some very basic online games (the same ones that Western Digital offers, including Black Jack Royale, Kaboom, Sudoku, and Texas Hold 'Em).

Enthusiasts will want more than what the NeoTV delivers, but this is a good product to recommend to friends and family who just want an easy way to stream media from the Internet to their entertainment center.

score:8
Netgear NeoTV NTV200
$80
www.netgear.com

If You Have Comcast Email, You Could Be A Terrorist

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 11:23 AM PST

Hey, are you "overly concerned about privacy" online or use anonymizers and Web portals? Do you like to check your ISP-provided email account on the road? How about talking to your cohorts in PC games? Yeah? Well, here's some bad news: according to the FBI and DoJ, there's a good chance that you're a terrorist if you do any of that in an Internet café -- and they encourage others to track your license plate, ethnicity, name  and more if you exhibit any of those "potential indicators."

Slashdot pointed us towards the Public Intelligence website, which first reported on the issue. Public Intelligence hosts a copy of the cyber-terrorist flyer that the DoJ/FBI created (PDF) as part of their "Communities Against Terrorism" initiative. (We recommend hitting the flyer link and checking it out.) Checking Google Maps or paying in cash means you're probably a terrorist, too, by the way, so you might consider switching to plastic to keep The Man from breathing down your neck.

Actually, even the FBI/DOJ admits that you might not be an full-blown terrorist if you check your AOL email at a cyber café, but it encourages readers to let the authorities make that call. "Some of the activities, taken individually, could be innocent and must be examined by law enforcement professionals in a larger context to determine whether there is a basis to investigate."

Whew! At least us normal folks don't have to think for ourselves.

Arctic Cooling Announces New AMD Trinity APU-Powered HTPCs

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 10:53 AM PST

Arctic Cooling may have earned its reputation on the back of its cooling products -- hence its name -- but late last year, it introduced a line of home theater PCs based on Intel's Atom chip.  It must have been pretty well-received, because Arctic recently announced it was launching a new line of HTPCs. Why is that notable? Because the Arctic MC101 line will be powered by AMD's next-gen Trinity APU, combination CPU/GPU chips that haven't even hit the streets yet.

Looking at the spec list below, it looks like the MC101 would be able to handle itself well as an everyday computer, much less a HTPC: options include 4GB to 8GB of 1600MHz RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium, the aforementioned Trinity A8/A10 processors and a 1TB HDD.

Most of the expected connectivity options are onboard, too, including HDMI, SPDIF, USB 3.0, Mic and audio in/out jacks and both Ethernet and Wi-Fi support. One major thing missing from the advertised bills: an optical drive. Mac mini owners might not mind ditching physical discs, but a lot of HTPC freaks have extensive Blu-ray collections, dammit! Of course, Arctic's Atom-powered MC001 line includes DVD/Blu-ray-packing models, so maybe upgraded versions just haven't been announced yet.

So when can you expect to see Arctic's MC101 line for sale? That's the tricky part about including an as-yet-unreleased APU. From the press release: "ARCTIC's MC101 Series will follow closely after the official release of the AMD APU Trinity so that you will never have to wait for something as wonderful as this!" Concrete, eh?

Spec list image credit:TechPowerUp.com

Vizio's CinemaWide 58-inch 21:9 HDTV Shipping in March for $3,500

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 10:39 AM PST

Vizio will take a step towards ditching its reputation as strictly a value driven brand when it launches its upcoming CinemaWide 58-inch HDTV with Theater 3D technology next month. It's due in stores just in time for the NCAA's March Madness college basketball tournament and will set shoppers back a cool $3,500, about three times more expensive than some regular 55-inch HDTVs on the market.

Unlike those sets, however, the CinemaWide will be the first to market with a 21:9 aspect ratio. That will inevitably lead to black bars, though Vizio promises to fill the 2560x1080 resolution by stretching the picture and letting viewers load up Internet apps to do things like check Facebook and Twitter while simultaneously watching TV.

Other features include an edge lit LED, 120Hz refresh rate, 400 nits brightness, 5.5ms response time, 178-degree viewing angle, Picture-in-Picture (PIP), 802.11n dual-band Wi-Fi, and a pair of 15W built-in speakers. The set will also ship with four pairs of Theater 3D glasses.

Image Credit: Vizio

Cooler Master Celebrates 20th Anniversary By Slashing Price of CM Storm Trooper Case

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 10:23 AM PST

If Cooler Master was a person rather than a company that provides PC supplies, it'd almost be old enough to drink: this year marks its 20th anniversary of existence. And rather than just patting itself on its imaginary back and sending out press releases touting its own awesomeness, Cooler Master's tossing a little something back to the community. The company just announced that for a short time, it's shaving nearly a quarter off the price of LAN-friendly CM Storm Trooper full-tower case, bringing it down from $190 to $150.

As we mentioned back when the case was first announced, the Storm Trooper was designed with portability in mind; it includes "extremely sturdy carrying handles" and a damage-resistant rubberized coating over its steel frame -- smart moves, seeing as how a packed full-tower gaming case can get pretty friggin' heavy.

Reviews of the case have been pretty positive overall around the 'Net, including a 4-star review over at TechRadar. Check out the specs for yourself if you're interested in possibly picking one up while the getting's good. Sorry, overseas Cooler Master fans; this one's good for U.S. and Canadian customers only.

PlayStation Network Yanked Offline Again for More "Routine" Maintenance

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 10:11 AM PST

Say what you want about the Titanic, at least it only went down once. Sony's PlayStation Network? At times it feels like that ship sinks more than it swims. That isn't actually the case, of course, but frequent maintenance following the high-profile hack job last year means more periods of downtime than gamers would like, including today. If all goes to schedule, PSN will turn back on at midnight PST.

Sony pulled PSN offline at 6AM this morning for routine maintenance, and while "most online play will be unaffected," the following services are out of commission until late tonight:

  • PlayStation Store on PS3, PSP, and Media Go
  • PlayStation Network Account Management
  • PlayStation Account Registration
  • PlayStation HomeMusic Unlimited & Video Unlimited services

You also won't be able to sign in to PSN from u.playstation.com or the PlayStation Blog, Sony says. As always, you'll still be able to collect in-game Trophies while PSN is offline.
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMO News

MMO News

Star Trek Online celebrates second anniversary

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 03:05 PM PST

Today marks the second anniversary of Star Trek Online, and to celebrate, Cryptic will hold an anniversary event until February 6.

There are two activities players can participate in. A one-time flagship mission will grant a starship to players. There is also a daily Q mission (resets every 20 hours), which has you chase down some pests for Q at either Earth Spacedock or Qo’noS. The daily mission rewards either a Two Year Anniversary Part Popper, 500 Dilithium Ore, or a mystery box that may contain random green, blue, or purple quality items; high end consumables; a one hour skill point boost; or the One Year Anniversary Party Popper.

Cryptic Studios also publishes Champions Online.

star-trek-online-combat

Star Trek Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Anniversary Event FAQ

Q: So what are we celebrating?

A: Star Trek Online first launched on February 2, 2010. This week marks the second anniversary of the game being live. We're also celebrating the recent shift of STO to a free-to-play game.

Q: How long does the event run?

A: From around 10:00am PST on Thursday, February 2, 2012 through around 10:00am PST on Monday, February 6, 2012.

Q: What are the parts of the celebration?

A: In addition to the fun activities planned by the community, there are two special activities that you can participate in. First is a daily Q mission and second is a one-time flagship mission.

Q: What is the daily Q mission?

A: Each day, you can talk to Q at Earth Spacedock or on Qo'noS. When you do, he will offer you a mission that has you go to Starfleet Academy or the KDF Academy. This mission involves chasing down some pests that got loose, then returning to Q. Remember that you can run faster by pressing the Shift key to sprint.

Q: What are the rewards of this mission?

A: When you complete the mission, Q will give you a choice of reward. There are three choices.

1) A "Two Year Anniversary Party Popper" item that does silly things when you use it.

2) A mystery box.

3) A box with 500 Dilithium Ore in it.

If you choose the mystery box, opening it randomly awards one of four things.

1) A box that contains random Green, Blue, or Purple quality item.

2) A box that contains some high end consumables.

3) A 1 hour Skill Point boost.

4) The "One Year Anniversary Party Popper" item that does silly things when you use it.

If you complete the mission multiple times and choose the mystery box multiple times, you may get the same reward more than once. The reward is random and there is no guarantee that you will get different rewards each time.

Q: How often can I do the Q mission?

A: Each time you do the mission, you cannot do it again for 20 hours. This makes it doable roughly once each day, which is why we call it a daily mission. If you go back to try and get the mission, it will show a countdown timer there of how long you need to wait before the mission is available again.

Q: How does the flagship mission work for Federation characters?

A: One time during the event, a Federation character of level 5 or higher can talk to Engineer Kani on Earth Spacedock to start the mission. The mission will ask you to take a brand new Odyssey class starship out on a shakedown cruise. At the completion of the mission, the character will receive a non-tradable inventory item that contains a starship. This item cannot be opened to actually get the starship until the character achieves the rank of Vice Admiral at level 50.

Q: How does the flagship mission work for Klingon characters?

A: One time during the event, a KDF character of level 21 or higher can talk to Engineer Tum'Era on Qo'noS. The mission will ask you to take a brand new Bortas class starship out on a shakedown cruise. At the completion of the mission, the character will receive a non-tradable inventory item that contains a starship. This item cannot be opened to actually get the starship until the character achieves the rank of Lt. General at level 50.

Q: Is there any other way to get an Odyssey class or Bortas class starship?

A: Not at this time. The ship is free to everyone who completes the mission during this event. After the event, there will be no way to obtain these ships for some time. We have not decided on when they will return to the game. You can expect that variations of these ships will show up in the C-Store next month.

Q: Is there a fast way to get to the event location?

A: There is a transwarp button in the mission journal that can speed your travel to Earth Spacedock or Qo'noS if you need it.

Nexon launches Hat Trick promotion

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 02:44 PM PST

Nexon America is offering players a chance to win prizes in its newest multi-game contest, the Nexon Hat Trick. The event runs until March 15.

Interested players must first join the event on its official page, and then obtain (or already have) level twenty characters in three Nexon games: Dragon Nest, Dungeon Fighter Online, and Vindictus. Players who enter and complete the Hat Trick by March 15 will earn about 20,000 NX worth of in-game goodies. Qualifying players will also be entered for a chance to win Karma Koin cards, an Alienware Aurora Desktop PC, and a “high-performance automobile.”

Alienware Aurora Desktop

Alienware Aurora Desktop PC

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Nexon Invites Players to Score a Hat Trick in Its Action Games for Prizes

Players who complete the Nexon Hat Trick* by March 15th may be eligible to win a new car

Nexon America is challenging players to score a Nexon Hat Trick*, and players who do so can win prizes like Karma Koin cards, Alienware Aurora desktop PCs and perhaps even a new 2012 high-performance car. Nexon is awarding players with in-game rewards as well: every player who scores a Nexon Hat Trick by March 15 will receive approximately NX 20,000 worth of in-game goods for their characters in "Dragon Nest," "Dungeon Fighter Online," and "Vindictus."

On March 15, three players who have scored the Nexon Hat Trick will be randomly selected to win an Alienware Aurora Desktop PC, and 30 players who have scored the Nexon Hat Trick will be chosen to receive a $50 Karma Koin card. In the event that 30,000 players achieve the Nexon Hat Trick by March 15, Nexon will then unlock the Grand Prize and select one lucky player who has scored the Nexon Hat Trick to win a new 2012 high-performance automobile.

To enter the event, players must enter through the “Join Event” button at www.nexon.net/events/hattrick. Players who already have level 20 characters in all three games just need to join the event to qualify for the prizes and receive the in-game rewards. For more information about the Nexon Hat Trick event, including official rules and regulations and for eligibility information, visit www.nexon.net/events/hattrick.

Mythos Global begins open beta

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 02:16 PM PST

Open beta testing has begun for Mythos Global, published by T3Fun.

The release now allows European players, whose previous version of Mythos (published by Frogster) was shut down. Only players from the Russian Federation, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan remain IP blocked from the global version.

Mythos features a Diablo-style gameplay, with four races (Cyclopes, Gremlins, Satyrs, and humans) and three classes (Bloodletter, Pyromancer, and Gadgeteer) to choose from.

T3Fun also publishes Hellgate.

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Mythos Gameplay Screenshot

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The open beta test for Mythos Global, Hanbitsoft and T3Fun's upcoming fantasy dungeon crawler, opens its doors to the public today. With this international OBT, Mythos Global will be available to thousands of new players. The nebula where planet Uld resides will offer players countless quests and adventures fit for any dungeon master.

Mythos' fantasy universe is home to four different playable character races: the Cyclopes with their ox-like strength, the ever-diplomatic humans, the wily, energetic Gremlins and the mystical, sage-like Satyrs. There will also be three classes unique to Mythos: let the blood be your guide as a Bloodletter, may the flames contain your rage as a Pyromancer or arm traps, bombs and mysterious machinery as a Gadgeteer!

Leading up to the launch of the OBT, T3Fun has launched several trailers to help players get to know each of the races and character class options. Watch the videos now to start getting acquainted: http://www.youtube.com/user/t3funmythos

Register now at T3fun.com and help the world of Uld rise up from the savagery, magic and atrocities of the Dark Age.

The Myth0s Global open beta is available now on the official website and is also downloadable via torrent.

Cross Fire introduces Hero Mode X

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 02:01 PM PST

A new mode has arrived in Cross Fire, and it goes by “Hero Mode X.”

The mode lets players control one of two new characters: Xeno, an electric alien, or Commando, who dual-wields kukris. This mode boasts three new ribbons for players to earn, and includes two maps – Mansion and Rooftops. The update also introduces six new weapons (Remington 870 shotgun, Rx4 Storm assault rifle, tiger-striped AWM sniper rifle, camo-skinned QBZ95, and alternate gold-skin MG3 machine gun), plus an assortment of other new equipment.  Through February 5, players can also earn weapons and items just by playing.

Cross Fire is published by Z8 Games.

Cross Fire Hero Mode X Screenshots:

Source:

CROSS FIRE GETS NEW “HERO MODE X”

New Mode Pits Aliens against Commandos with Players Deciding the Outcome

Toronto, CANADA – February 2nd, 2012 -G4BOX Inc., a North American publisher and distributor of interactive online entertainment media, released today an update for its free-to-play military shooter, Cross Fire. The free update features the new Hero Mode X, which puts players in control of one of two new playable characters: the electricity-equipped alien “Xeno”, or the dual kukri-wielding Commando. The update also packs 6 new weapons and 3 new ribbons to earn for your player profile, in addition to a variety of new equipment items. To mark the release of this exciting new mode, Z8Games will be hosting events through February 5th in which players can earn new weapons and items, just for playing. For current players, the update will download automatically upon launching Cross Fire. New players can download and play the game for free from: http://crossfire.z8games.com.

The electricity-infused alien, Xeno, has landed. Under its leadership, Mutants everywhere are now united towards the goal of conquering Earth! To combat the alien threat, an elite squad of super Commandos armed with dual Kukri’s and a no fear attitude has risen up. Play as either Xeno or Commando in the new Hero Mode X and earn three new ribbons to show off on your profile as a symbol of your participation in Earth’s final battle! Hero Mode X debuts with two maps: the multi-level “Mansion”, and the gritty, suburban “Rooftops”.

The Hero Mode X update also includes six new weapons: a Remington 870 shotgun, an RX4 Storm assault rifle, a tiger-striped AWM sniper rifle, a camo-skinned QBZ95, and an MG3 machine gun with an alternate gold-skin variant. These weapons are available via the in-game Store and Black Market.

For a full rundown of the new Hero Mode X, including patch events and ribbons, visit the official update page here: http://crossfire.z8games.com/hero_mode_x_update.aspx.

Tribes Ascend previews major update

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 01:27 PM PST

Hi-Rez Studios has revealed plans for the next major update for Tribes Ascend.

The update will reduce the number of playable classes from twelve to nine, while increasing the number of available classes for starting characters to three (one Light, one Medium, one Heavy). Class customization and weapon customization will be improved to allow players to better tweak their loadouts, and the user interface will also be more polished. The goal of the update is to improve customization and retain game balance.

Hi-Rez Studios also publishes Global Agenda.

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Tribes Ascend: New Class Selection

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Tribes Ascend: New Weapon Upgrades

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Tribes Ascend: New Modify Class

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Upcoming Tribes: Ascend Update includes Class Customization, More Free Classes and New UI
Hi-Rez adds players’ most-requested changes to multiplayer shooter Beta

ATLANTA — February 2, 2012 — Today, Hi-Rez Studios (www.hirezstudios.com) released screenshots previewing enhancements coming to the fast-action multiplayer shooter Tribes: Ascend. The game, currently in Beta, has been receiving regular updates since early November. This next planned patch delivers the most significant changes to date.

"We feel very good about the fast and fluid combat we've been playing and refining with the community over the past few months," explains Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios Chief Operating Officer. "We are now excited to announce new features that have been among those most requested by our Beta group.”

The next update will include additional class customization and a much more polished user interface that really showcases the sci-fi, high resolution graphics of Tribes: Ascend. Hi-Rez will be collapsing the total number of playable classes from 12 to 9, but adding the ability for players to unlock new weapons for each class and further customize their loadout. Three of the nine classes will be available right away so a new player will have access to a Light, Medium, and Heavy class in his or her first match.

"We believe this system preserves class-based combat while also offering additional flexibility for players to customize classes around individual play style. It continues to provide a balanced and level playing field for all players."

Tribes: Ascend is a free-to-play shooter for PC with servers currently located across North America, Europe, and Australia. In addition to unlockable classes, weapons, skills and perks, the Beta version includes 3 drivable vehicles, 3 game modes, and 9 playable maps. Hi-Rez Studios is also planning to support Ranked Servers and Custom Servers.

Players interested in joining the Tribes: Ascend Closed Beta can register for an invitation at http://www.tribesascend.com.

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Maestia relaunches on Alaplaya

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 11:45 AM PST

Alaplaya has officially relaunched Maestia, a fantasy MMORPG originally published by BigPoint.

The relaunch included a launch of a new update, “Rise of Keledus.” The update revises all maps, dungeons, monsters, item drops, and some character models. New features include set effects for rare and expert dungeon equipment, new HDR graphics options, major skill readjustments for mages and rangers, improvements to group experience and options, increased hitpoints, new crafting and Maestones, and much more.

Alaplaya also publishes ARGO Online and Florensia.

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Maestia Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

But that’s not it yet! For its launch on alaplaya.net Maestia is getting a massive update: With “Rise of Keledus” a completely new chapter will be opened up. All players who confide in the power of the Maestones will be delighted about the 3 times higher drop-rate. Moreover the functions of the Maestones are going to be categorized by player-level to ensure a higher possibility of individualizing your class skills. Besides you can indulge in your gathering-passion with hundreds of new items. Enjoy the numerable enhancements of the party-play as well as the upcoming raid-content for level 100 players and guilds.

But Maestia isn’t just getting a content-wise refurbishment. Also technically the game is going to reach the next level! The graphics of all weapons, armors, characters, monsters and maps have been edited. And besides the general performance improvement you can enjoy new graphic-effects such as High Dynamic Range as option for high-contrast imaging.

Please post your comments here. More information about the launch of Maestia will follow soon.

Your Maestia Team

Evony: Interview with Darold Higa, Lead Producer

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 11:13 AM PST

Evony has seen a large amount of success in the years since its launch, and has also faced a hefty amount of criticism. MMOHut spoke with Evony’s Lead Producer, Darold Higa, to get further insight into the history and future of this well known strategy MMO.


It’s been a few years since Evony’s release – what are some of the major changes and updates that have taken place since gamers first set eyes on Evony?

Since we launched Evony: Age I a few years ago, we have launched Evony: Age II which introduced a number of new elements of strategy to the game. Age II also launched to enhancements and additions to the gameplay, including Historic Heroes, Historical Cities, Achievements, Stratagems, new Quests and enhanced graphics.

We support both Evony: Age I and Evony: Age II through game tweaks and new items. We also released a toolbar so that you can keep playing the game and keep a watchful eye on your cities even when you are not actually on Evony.com.

What do you think Evony has succeeded the best at since its release?

I think Evony has had two big successes.  First, our gameplay has been an important reason why so many people play Evony, and why we have players that have been playing this game since launch.  Having a game that has the depth and complexity to engage players for years is one of the defining characteristics of the Evony game experience.  The second and perhaps the most important aspect has been our passionate, tight-knit player community of Ladies and Lords.  Evony is a game where the players create the story through acts of heroism and deception, friendship and treachery.  Our player community is literally the driving force behind the game, and the community that has built up around the game makes the game experience what it is.

Why did Evony decide to make Age II, and what makes it so different?

Age II was an opportunity to expand our existing game experience, adding a number of new features and new ideas to the already complex gameplay of Age I.  By putting the complex combat system of Age I into the hands of so many players we learned a number of things.  Information warfare, which was already quite complicated, could be made even more exciting by adding a wildcard element to the game in the form of Stratagems.  Stratagems are very similar to special cards from a collectible card game, allowing players to add deception and intrigue to tip the tide of battle.  A new class of city, known as Historical Cities were added to give Alliances a focal point for their struggle to control regions.  We also added new Quests and Achievements, to give players tangible goals to aim for, helping to guide them beyond the early stages of gameplay and prepare them for "endgame" battles.

Historical Heroes are another big feature we've added to the game, featuring real world historical figures as new and powerful units to lead your forces.  Overall, the goal of Age II was to enhance the core Age I gameplay experience without changing the core mechanics.  The result is a similar game with a very different feel.



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How well has Evony adapted to Facebook? Will it continue to reach to new platforms like the iPhone?

Players continue to be more social than ever, and we've added special bonuses that players can give to their friends when they play via Facebook. Facebook has made it even easier for us to connect with players and get more feedback.

The great thing about the browser is that it brings us that much closer to truly ubiquitous gaming.  Our game client is very complex, and it pushes the limits for what is possible in a browser game client.  We're really excited in improvements in mobile technology, and we're hoping that our brand of browser based gaming will find its way into the hands of mobile users in the future.

Where do you think Evony still needs to improve?

Like any persistent online game, we're always looking to streamline the experience for players and minimize any downtime or technical issues. We've made great improvements here but are definitely looking to do more.

Is Evony prepared to make an Age III, updating again in the future to adapt to new playerbases?

We currently reach and cater to quite a variety of strategy fans with Age I and II. We've been able to make the game enjoyable for both the hardcore and casual player.

We have quite a few ideas churning for things we can add to the game, but we haven't announced any plans regarding an Age III.

Evony’s early advertising campaigns drew a lot of publicity, much of it negative. Do you think Evony has since “cleared the air”? Have you added new strategies to draw in new players?

The ad campaign you're talking about was run two years ago by our affiliate network.  The method used the same kind of advertising gimmicks that products outside of gaming use.  I really feel like that was a turning point in the game industry, because prior to that game advertising was directed at the core gaming community (licensed properties excepted).  That being said, for the past two years we have run advertising that is very gameplay focused.  Browser based gaming has really required a different kind of advertising from traditional retail gaming.  In retail gaming the goal was to get players to purchase the product, and the advertising stopped there.  That meant that advertising was brief, intense and very flashy.  For free to play browser based games, advertising is there to get your product noticed so that a player spends some of their precious time to try your game.  The real advertising comes from the quality of gameplay.  If a player tries our game and gives up on it, then we haven't succeeded.  I think the quality of our gameplay and the rich game experiences that players get has been our most powerful advertising strategy, and it is something we will never deviate from.



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What work is Evony doing to address concerns about botting?

We've unleashed what we like to call Operation Cerberus, our frontline attack on players that we've identified to be using third-party tools or cheats to play the game. We take botting very seriously at Evony, and while I can't divulge our secrets to discovering a player abusing the rules like this, we work very hard to identify and take action against these players.

Evony has been a leader in the browser-based strategy game arena, leading to many similar games or “clones” in the market. What do you think makes the Evony game model so popular?

I really take a lot of pride that so many studios have worked so hard to emulate the success we've had with Evony: Age I and Evony: Age II.  I honestly believe the most important aspect of our game model is that we didn't limit ourselves to making a browser game.  There are so many companies, some rather large ones in fact, that approached browser gaming by simplifying games for the masses through limiting player interaction and limiting player options.  We took the opposite approach.

The browser wasn't a limitation; it was just a platform to deliver the game vision we had.  We pushed the limits on what a multiplayer browser game is all about.  We made a massive, multiplayer, real-time game with full symmetrical gameplay, player communication and organization tools.  Massive real-time battles?  Cut-throat player versus player dynamics?  Alliance tools?  Sure!  Our success and the success of our clones just prove that you don't have to "dumb down" games for the masses.

What message would you like to pass on to players who haven't yet played Evony?

I've played a lot of online games, but to date, some of my most memorable gaming experiences have come from hand wringing online battles with dozens of cities and millions of troops all on the move in real-time.  The early phase of the game is engaging as you build your cities, research technology and build up your economy and military, but the game really shines once you have built up your forces and engage in large-scale conflict.

Most important is to join an alliance!  Friendships (and even a marriage, we've been told) grow from the close bonds you forge battling it out with alliances.  All I can say is give the game a try!



Make sure to also check out our exclusive developer tips from Evony!
Posted by Shri Krishna
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