Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates


Shepard Hangs Up His (or Her) Rifle (or Pistol)

Posted: 01 Mar 2012 03:32 AM PST

With the production values, scope, and engaging story present in Mass Effect, it’s easy to equate the series to a blockbuster Hollywood movie franchise. So often plagued by forced sequels, few trilogies can pump out three quality films; there?s a reason that many choose to pretend the Matrix sequels never existed. And with video games, building on the past can often prove much more difficult.

As we reach the release date of Mass Effect 3, one question comes to mind: how will the Mass Effect series be remembered? A large part of that could hinge on the closing scenes of the finale.

Millions of comments have already been made about the endings of the first two entries, so we won’t rehash that here. Let’s get straight to the point.

How do you think Mass Effect 3 will end?

We want your ideas and predictions. Leave a comment here, telling us how Mass Effect 3 will wrap up. We will compile the most interesting and creative entries (along with some wild 1UP staff predictions) into a story to share with you. Just make sure that you don’t accidentally come up with the correct ending, because we don’t want any spoilers.


Posted by: admin in Gaming News
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Super Mario 3D Land Twists the Familiar Rather than Striking New Ground

Posted: 01 Mar 2012 01:28 AM PST

Greg Street, lead systems designer for World of Warcraft, can scarcely contain his excitement. When I called him to discuss the game’s upcoming Patch 4.3 with him last week, I half expected to sit through 20 minutes of dodgy answers and vague generalizations. Instead, Street spoke with the intensity of a man who has withheld a secret for far too long, and I half worried that his superiors would wince at the details he poured out throughout the call. Even Shon Damron, a member of Blizzard’s PR team who also sat in on the call, was barely able to get in a word. It was, all in all, an infectious passion, and one that left me feeling more excited about the game than I’d felt in years.

“We’re super excited about this patch,” Street says. “I know we say that every time, but I think players are going to look back on this patch and say, ‘Wow, that was something I’ve never seen before.’” Street began by recapping known news about the upcoming patch–such as the introduction of cosmetic armor, the implementation of wider bank storage options via “void storage,” and the implementation of a new “raid finder — and then announced that the patch would introduce a new pair of legendary daggers tentatively called “The Fangs of the Father.” But the conversation truly hit its stride when he turned his attention to the new raid encounter and three five-man dungeons that lie at the heart of the patch.


Posted by: admin in Gaming News
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Mass Effect 3: Why Earth is so Damn Important

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 03:28 PM PST

Annual iterations in video games are something that we’re just going to have to deal with — as much as we may complain, there’s just too much money to be made in releasing yearly installments of the biggest franchises. While this business model obviously makes sense from a financial point, many lament the fact that this short span in between sequels hurts creativity and quality. If you need proof of this, look no further than the Assassin’s Creed series. The two-year gap between AC and ACII allowed the series to come into its own and evolve into one of gaming’s most ambitious franchises. Since then, the annualization of the series has brought a bit of stagnation to the formula. And yet, we continue to have faith that the franchise may return to its former greatness. With the recent announcement that Assassin’s Creed III will hit shelves on October 30, we remain cautiously optimistic that Ubisoft is prepared to make an ambitious leap forward for the next numbered installment in Desmond’s journey. Below are some initial thoughts and theories from the AC players at 1UP: Marty Sliva, Thierry Nguyen, and Jeremy Parish.

The Setting

Marty: A few months back, I received a pro-tip that ACIII was going to place you in the body of a half-Cherokee warrior during the American Revolution. Evidently you’re going to be tasked with traveling north along the Atlantic coast to Boston and Philadelphia, engaging in all sorts of wacky hijinks. If this is the setting for ACIII, it would be a great direction for the series to take, as America during the latter half of the 18th century is rife with potential in the video game world. With so many historically significant events occurring throughout New England at the time, Assassin’s Creed III could take a Forrest Gump-ian approach to history and have your character be present at all of the major events of the American Revolution. Imagine playing through historical moments like the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s ride, or Washington’s crossing of the Delaware.



Posted by: admin in Gaming News
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F2: Floating Fortress (KR)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 03:27 PM PST


[More info] Much hyped in the Korean media as the successor and sequel for FlyFF, gPotato (or Gaa Net) has decided to postpone the 6-days Closed Beta 1 phase till a later date. Neither a specific period nor time was not given, although the publisher/ developer said it was to include more game content. Apparently the big bosses over there felt the game is indeed lacking in content even for a Closed Beta and the game on overall is not ready for a public test. Let’s hope the game will be even more polished once the public can get to play it.


Posted by: admin in Gaming News
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Apple Co-Founder and Former CEO Steve Jobs Passes Away

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 01:43 PM PST

Steve Jobs

Just a day after the announcement of the latest iPhone, Steve Jobs has passed away.

Jobs, who was born on February 24, 1955 (making him 56 at the time of his death), was one of the original co-founders of Apple and served as its CEO for more than 14 years until resigning from the role this past August. He stayed on as chairman of the board.

He had been battling health issues (cancer, in particular) for years; he was forced to take a leave of absence from the company beginning this past January, though he still made appearances at several Apple events even during his time away. Although Tim Cook was named CEO in August and led yesterday’s iPhone 4S event, many had expected Jobs to make an appearance of some sort.

Apple’s board of directors released a statement a short time ago:

We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today.

Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.

His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.

Apple’s website currently features the image of Jobs above on its homepage. It links to a separate page which reads, “Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.” It calls for thoughts, memories, and condolences to be emailed to rememberingsteve@apple.com.

Embedded below is the memorable Stanford commencement address he delivered in 2005.


Posted by: admin in Gaming News
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MMO Updates

MMO Updates


EVE Online invading Japan March 28th

Posted: 01 Mar 2012 08:50 AM PST

Filed under: , , , , ,

EVE Online - Rifter vs. pirates
EVE Online has already captured the hearts and minds of sandbox gamers in Europe and America. Now, CCP is intent on bringing its sci-fi MMO to Japan (which boasts the world's fourth largest online gaming market).

Beginning March 28th, Japanese players will experience New Eden in their native language. True to form, however, is CCP's decision to dump all of its worldwide playerbase into the melting pot that is the Tranquility server. The firm is also partnering with Korean free-to-play giant Nexon to make the deal happen, with the latter handling billing services as well as marketing and PR duties while CCP focuses on development.

[Source: CCP press release]

MassivelyEVE Online invading Japan March 28th originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    NCsoft reveals two trailers for Aion Europe's F2P launch

    Posted: 01 Mar 2012 08:00 AM PST

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    Aion - dogfighting in the Abyss
    Aion is officially free-to-play in Europe as of this week, and to celebrate, NCsoft has rolled out a couple of new trailers.

    The game's Elyos and Asmodian factions get their own video clips, though the footage is largely the same excepting a brief intro and the appropriate voiceovers. There are a lot of battle shots, some glimpses of the high-level Dredgion instance, and a taste of each faction's lore (specifically, how each group blames the other for starting the endless war for the soul of Atreia).

    Check out both clips after the break, and keep up with the latest Aion happenings via our weekly Wings Over Atreia column.

    Continue reading NCsoft reveals two trailers for Aion Europe's F2P launch

    MassivelyNCsoft reveals two trailers for Aion Europe's F2P launch originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    F2P publisher gamigo's account services offline after hack

    Posted: 01 Mar 2012 07:30 AM PST

    Filed under: , , ,

    gamigo logo
    If you're a fan of gamigo's free-to-play MMO library, you may have run into some trouble accessing your account info as of yesterday. The company "detected an illegal intrusion into [its] gamigo account system," according to an official post on the Jagged Alliance forums.

    The hack resulted in a temporary cessation of registration, account management, and payment services. The company says that while the game servers are still up and running, "the gAS services might be down for a while." gamigo also says that it encrypts passwords and that "no access to account names and other data is confirmed."

    [Thanks for the tip, Tim!]

    MassivelyF2P publisher gamigo's account services offline after hack originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    TERA website updates with Elin lore, video

    Posted: 01 Mar 2012 07:00 AM PST

    Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

    TERA - Elin group vs. BAM
    Last week TERA's North American website updated with some new information on the game's Castanic race. Today the site examines the Elin, and there's quite a bit of lore-centric text on display in addition to a new video.

    Despite their child-like appearance, the Elin are actually quite dour and mysterious. "Their speech is often dark, forthright, and otherworldly, and their sense of humor can border on vicious," the site explains.

    The goddess Elinu originally created the Elins in the image of Arun's daughter (Arun is one of two titans who created the world of Arborea, if you're not up to speed on TERA's backstory). The Elins generally have one goal, and En Masse says that "they repair, protect, and preserve the world they live in and love above all else." Head past the cut to view the video.

    Continue reading TERA website updates with Elin lore, video

    MassivelyTERA website updates with Elin lore, video originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Final Fantasy XIV pushes patch 1.21 back to March 9th

    Posted: 01 Mar 2012 06:00 AM PST

    Filed under: , , ,

    FFXIV
    Patience, they say, is a virtue -- and none are more patient than the Final Fantasy XIV community. This patience will be tested once more as the imminent 1.21 patch has been delayed until March 9th to accommodate further work and testing.

    If someone is to blame, it's Producer Naoki Yoshida, who admits that "the sheer volume" of his suggestions prompted the delay. But it will be worth it, he promises.

    In a new producer's letter
    , Yoshida hypes the patch and in particular its changes to magic casting. These changes will be "almost identical" to what the game will see when it hits 2.0. He's extremely excited to announce that adjustments to alchemy and culinary professions -- the medicines and food, specifically -- are almost complete. Finally, he reports that the team is deep into testing the two new instanced raids that are coming with the patch.

    Yoshida also thanked the community for its feedback over the upcoming server merges.

    MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV pushes patch 1.21 back to March 9th originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Daily Grind: What do you hope to hear from GDC 2012?

    Posted: 01 Mar 2012 05:00 AM PST

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    GDC 12 logo
    Well it's almost time for game convention silly season. First up is the Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco next week, followed by PAX East in April and E3 in June.

    A gaggle of Massively scribes are heading west in a few days to bring you the best (and the most grammatically correct) coverage of all the happenings at GDC. From preview sessions with The Secret World, DUST 514, and PlanetSide 2, to interviews with dev luminaries and glimpses of all that's new and shiny in the world of MMOs, there looks to be a lot of industry news coming your way next week.

    Today's Daily Grind is an easy one. Are you looking forward to GDC, and is there anything in particular that you hope to learn from this year's conference?

    Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

    MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What do you hope to hear from GDC 2012? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      A Mild-Mannered Reporter: City of Heroes 2

      Posted: 29 Feb 2012 05:00 PM PST

      Filed under: , , , , , , ,

      A Mild-Mannered Reporter header by A. Fienemann
      Before the comments light up, I'm just going to say outright that City of Heroes 2 does not currently exist. We've heard no news about it, no announcements, nothing beyond the speculation of many City of Heroes players such as myself. I'm deviating (again) from the set schedule and talking about a purely hypothetical sequel that all of us are kind of expecting but that does not, at this point, exist. But considering all of the recent talk about Guild Wars 2, I think it's apropos.

      Let's assume, for the purpose of this article, that Paragon Studios is knee-deep in development of City of Heroes 2 and simply isn't telling anyone. What sort of things would the game need? What would be the best possible route for the game to take? How could it satisfy fans of City of Heroes while drawing in new players? I don't have the absolute answers... but it sure does make for some interesting speculation, based on the things the team has been doing over the past several years.

      Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: City of Heroes 2

      MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: City of Heroes 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        WildStar Wednesday examines redundancies in quest text

        Posted: 29 Feb 2012 04:00 PM PST

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        I've been in a firefight before... well, in a fire.  Actually, I got fired.
        Can you really produce a meaningful set of quests while keeping each snippet of text down to 140 characters? The team developing WildStar certainly thinks so. In a previous installment of the regular WildStar Wednesday feature, fans were introduced to the concept, but this week's developer diary is all about explaining how you keep all of the flavor of a quest while trimming it down to the bare minimum necessary. It's not about stripping out flavor -- it's about exactly the opposite.

        Senior narrative designer Cory Herndon explains by example that a lot of quest text winds up repeating unnecessary facts or stating something that should be immediately clear. Herndon starts with a longer example of quest text and steadily pares it down to the most important bits of information, keeping all of the flavor while posting each bit of communication in quick and comprehensible bursts. Combined with the discussion of adding further bits of quest dialogue after important objectives are completed, the diary shows just how you can get a lot of flavor into the quests without quite as many fancy words.

        MassivelyWildStar Wednesday examines redundancies in quest text originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Drew Karpyshyn set to pen another Star Wars: The Old Republic novel

        Posted: 29 Feb 2012 03:00 PM PST

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        It's probably not set on Taris, but doesn't the planet look kind of pretty from this art?
        Drew Karpyshyn, a lead writer for Star Wars: The Old Republic and the author of the tie-in novel Revan, is no longer with BioWare. That's old news. What might be somewhat more surprising news is that he is still penning novels for the game, with new information about the second novel having finally surfaced from a Facebook posting by Del Ray Books. If you've been eagerly awaiting more details about the bridge between Knights of the Old Republic and the MMO's setting, it's your lucky day.

        Titled Annihilation, the novel will focus on agent Theron Shan and his companion Teff'ith as they investigate an Imperial counterattack spearheaded by an apprentice of Darth Malgus. The posting goes on to confirm that the novel is currently on target for release on November 13th of this year. So if you can't get enough of your story in the game, it looks like it won't be too much longer until you can get even more story out of game as well.

        MassivelyDrew Karpyshyn set to pen another Star Wars: The Old Republic novel originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Embrace the darkness with City of Heroes' Issue 22

        Posted: 29 Feb 2012 02:00 PM PST

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        Screenshot -- City of Heroes
        City of Heroes players better prepare themselves for another descent into the realm of Dark Astoria because in the upcoming Issue 22, Paragon Studios is sending them right back to the twisted realm. Of course, there's a catch: Dark Astoria is being twisted and transformed "into a Level 50 Incarnate co-op zone, with missions that can unlock Incarnate abilities for both Heroes and Villains."

        But high-level Incarnate players aren't the only ones getting goodies in Issue 22; a new low-level trial -- morbidly titled Drowning in Blood -- is also being introduced in the update. And who could forget the new powersets? Not us! Controllers and Dominators are being given access to the Darkness Control main powerset as well as the Darkness Affinity and Dark Assault secondary sets (for Controllers and Dominators, respectively).

        For the full preview of City of Heroes' Issue 22, just click on through the link below to the game's official site.

        MassivelyEmbrace the darkness with City of Heroes' Issue 22 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        EverQuest Online Adventures sunsetting March 29th

        Posted: 29 Feb 2012 01:00 PM PST

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        EQOA
        It appears that Leap Day 2012 is not destined to be kind to the MMO industry. On top of layoffs and struggling studios, we've received word that Sony Online Entertainment has delivered a pink slip to EverQuest Online Adventures. According to the company, EQOA will be sunsetted on March 29th.

        No specific reason was given for the move, but a farewell letter posted on the site attempts to soften the blow: "This is not an easy decision, but there comes a time when it's best for our developers to move on to the next adventure, and that day has come." In the closure FAQ, SOE also promises a celebration at the end of the game's run.

        To appease its remaining EQOA customers, SOE is offering three months of gold membership in both EverQuest and EverQuest II for current subscribers. This consolation prize will become effective on March 16th. SOE will also not be charging current players during March.

        EQOA has always been the smallest member of the EverQuest franchise since its release in 2003 on the PlayStation 2. We covered it in our Game Archaeologist column late last year and were impressed by the passion and memories that the game's fans shared.

        [Thanks to Omali for the tip!]

        MassivelyEverQuest Online Adventures sunsetting March 29th originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Anarchy Online's new graphics engine wows Funcom

        Posted: 29 Feb 2012 12:30 PM PST

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        Anarchy Online
        Anarchy Online looks to be in good hands, as Game Director Fia Tjernberg returns for her second comprehensive development update. The update, which discusses the projects that the team's been working on, covers the past month in detail while hinting at future goodies.

        Tjernberg stresses that the entire team works just on Anarchy Online and nothing else and has put a wrap on the first video showing off the new graphics engine. According to her, Funcom's marketers got so excited after seeing it that the studio decided to flex some additional muscle to promote it in the near future. "The artists are more confident working with the settings and materials," she writes, "and they learned what they can do to really make a difference in quality."

        Other areas that the letter covered include an AO-specific world-building tool that the team's constructed, work on the new beginner experience that will tie in with the upcoming engine, the re-evaluation of professions to emphasize roles, and the details behind the upcoming server transfers. All players will be moved onto a new server that will, according to her, "keep [Anarchy Online] running smoothly for another ten years."

        Tjernberg also teases the next game update by saying that preliminary patch notes could arrive by the end of March.

        MassivelyAnarchy Online's new graphics engine wows Funcom originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Enter at Your Own Rift: Looking back at RIFT's first year

        Posted: 29 Feb 2012 12:00 PM PST

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        Rift carnival
        As I ran around smacking loot piñatas (finally, someone acknowledges these things for what they are), I wondered how on earth RIFT's first year went by so fast. The Carnival of the Ascended is just around the corner, and on March 1st, the game officially celebrates its first birthday.

        In just one year, RIFT has seen seven game updates, a handful of world events, and all sorts of new additions and improvements to the world of Telara. Rather than being a straight-up retrospective, this week's Enter at Your Own Rift is looking back on the first year with a Justin-style list of highlights and even a glimpse of what's coming in 1.8.

        Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Looking back at RIFT's first year

        MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Looking back at RIFT's first year originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Vindictus EU update brings new character, terrible foe

          Posted: 29 Feb 2012 11:00 AM PST

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          Vindictus
          European Vindictus fans, rejoice: Your favorite pillar-swinging brute is now playable. Karok, the newest addition to Vindictus' spread of characters, is a big man with a penchant for beating people up with a huge chunk of architecture that he just happens to carry around. Although he's a slow-moving character, Karok seems built to take some punches, as he's easily the largest playable character seen yet. That huge size and pet pillar come in handy for some new skills like War Slam, Earth Quake, and Pillar Charge.

          The update doesn't stop there; a new foe is being thrown into the mix in the form of Thor, a giant thunder-lizard, and players will be richly rewarded for taking him down. Additionally, the Mercenary Surprise Update will bring in new Legendary Weapons. So go! Create yourself as the huge walking force of nature that you've always wished you were, grapple with a multi-mawed lightning-lizard, and drink deeply the rewards of your awesomeness.

          [Source: Nexon EU press release]

          MassivelyVindictus EU update brings new character, terrible foe originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Blizzard announces layoffs of 600 employees worldwide

            Posted: 29 Feb 2012 10:15 AM PST

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            Blizzard Entertainment logo
            Blizzard Entertainment, creator of the perennially popular World of Warcraft, announced today that it would be laying off 600 of its employees worldwide. While Blizzard takes care to note that WoW's development won't be impacted by the layoffs, we find it a bit difficult to take solace in that fact when hundreds of people are losing their jobs.

            Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime commented on the layoffs, stating that "Constant evaluation of teams and processes is necessary for the long-term health of any business. Over the last several years, we've grown our organization tremendously and made large investments in our infrastructure in order to better serve our global community. However, as Blizzard and the industry have evolved we've also had to make some difficult decisions in order to address the changing needs of our company." Understandable, perhaps, considering the fluctuating nature of the industry, but we still wish those Blizzard employees hit by the layoffs the very best in their future endeavors. Good luck, folks.

            MassivelyBlizzard announces layoffs of 600 employees worldwide originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Black Prophecy developer Reakktor Media on its last legs

            Posted: 29 Feb 2012 10:00 AM PST

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            Screenshot -- Black Prophecy
            The future is looking a bit hazy for Black Prophecy developer Reakktor Media, as reports indicate that the studio "has begun the insolvency process" and is scrambling for work in order to keep itself afloat. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Reakktor Media's managing director Kirk Lenke stated that "[the studio is] in a position to accomplish basically anything [that] is played right now, even if we were focused in the recent times on multiplayer mobile gaming," which may indicate an interest in developing games outside of the MMO genre.

            Lenke also notes that the studio currently has a Diablo-esque sci-fi title in the early development stages. At any rate, we wish the best of luck to the folks at Reakktor Media. Even if things are looking pretty grim, here's to hoping that there's a silver lining in store for the studio.

            MassivelyBlack Prophecy developer Reakktor Media on its last legs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            General gaming

            General gaming


            How Jet Set Radio Brought Pop Culture to Video Games

            Posted: 01 Mar 2012 05:52 AM PST

            Coming after a massive wave of HD remakes, it might be easy to pass over the upcoming release of Jet set Radio on PC, PSN, and XBLA. Though there hasn't been a sequel in a nearly a decade, JSR stands as a fine example of the creative experiences designers can create when they turn to influences outside of the typical sci-fi/fantasy fare, which seems to dominate the medium.

            Masayoshi Kikuchi and his team were bored, despite having just shipped the very successful Panzer Dragoon Saga. After years of working on "epic" stories filled with fantastic fights, magic and danger, the team wanted to try something new. They'd grown tired of creating new worlds for wizards and elves, and wanted to develop something that drew from music, fashion, art, and pop culture at large. "We wanted to work on something that was completely unlike Panzer Dragoon Saga. Something dealing with pop culture and something that was cool," said Kikuchi, in a 2010 interview.

            Shepard Hangs Up His (or Her) Rifle (or Pistol)

            Posted: 29 Feb 2012 06:13 PM PST

            With the production values, scope, and engaging story present in Mass Effect, it's easy to equate the series to a blockbuster Hollywood movie franchise. So often plagued by forced sequels, few trilogies can pump out three quality films; there?s a reason that many choose to pretend the Matrix sequels never existed. And with video games, building on the past can often prove much more difficult.

            OP-ED: Borderlands 2 Wisely Goes With Steamworks on PC

            Posted: 29 Feb 2012 05:10 PM PST

            Borderlands 2

            The PC version of the original Borderlands was not exactly an ideal demonstration of how to bring a console game to computers. For the sequel, at least one of the most significant issues should be addressed as a result of Gearbox opting to make use of Steamworks in digital and retail copies of Borderlands 2.

            Setting aside online multiplayer for a moment, Borderlands on PC was plagued with numerous issues. Disabling voice chat, enabling the use of the scroll wheel in text boxes, turning on vertical sync -- all three of these seemingly basic options and more were not located in the options, as they should be in any PC game (let alone one from a major developer and publisher). Instead players were forced to consult online guides providing instructions on how to edit the game's configuration files. This largely consists of backing up text files and copy/pasting in new text -- not exactly rocket science -- but it's still a process gamers should never have to go through.

            Mass Effect 3: Why Earth is so Damn Important

            Posted: 29 Feb 2012 02:55 PM PST

            Science fiction, whether the hard sci-fi of Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy or flights of fantasy like Star Trek, tends to make the same point about Earth: it's screwed. Once we start writing fiction that takes place sometime after the year 2100 or somesuch, Earth automatically gets attacked, or at the very least, gets filed inside a hostile alien race's "planets to attack during our effort to purge the universe of organic life" folder. Mass Effect 3 is no stranger to such a concept, as evidenced by the latest advertising that boldly states: "Take Back Earth." Yet even the very first imagery, way back in the Spike Video Game Awards 2010, presented Earth-centric imagery. Before ME3's release next week, Jeremy Parish and Thierry Nguyen chatted with lead writer Mac Walters about the importance of our water-heavy planet, the decisions behind who lives or dies in Mass Effect 2's ending/ME3's beginning, and hints about the trilogy's conclusion.

            1UP: The thesis of this interview is "What's the Big Deal about Earth?" We have more questions within that, but that's where I want to start. Looking at the promos for Mass Effect 3, the big selling point is, "Oh crap. Here come the Reapers and they are going to destroy Earth." Is there more to the game's story than, "we have to save Earth?"

            Why Mass Effect 2's Mordin was Awesome

            Posted: 29 Feb 2012 12:32 PM PST

            Feature

            Header

            Why Mass Effect 2's Mordin was Awesome

            Developer BioWare takes the concept of a science officer to new extremes.

            By: Jose Otero February 29, 2012

            What makes a character awesome? It's such a hyperbolic yet interesting question, and the response varies depending on the person. And yet, as we explore the large worlds of our favorite role-playing games, it's hard not to notice the characters we become attached to the most as the adventure unfolds. Usually, they're the ones that offer something unique to your party. In some cases it could be awkward interactions or unique perspectives. In others, it could be powerful abilities and battle skills. Regardless of our personal reasons, we become invested in these accomplices and discover that when its time select party members, our most awesome characters get pushed to the front of the line.

            Mordin Solus, the Salarian scientist introduced in Mass Effect 2, is an awesome ME character because he epitomizes the coolest nerd in the ME universe: a mysterious, strong-willed, and scarred little scientist who delivers dialogue in quick, direct doses. With his character, BioWare takes the well-known science-fiction trope -- the idea of a science officer in this case -- and transforms it into an affable, fast-talking, tortured soul that believes in consequentialism. As strange as that combination may seem, Mordin is awesome and his prowess as a geneticist makes him an essential member of Shepard's team.

            But rather than keep to himself during his research on the Normandy, Mordin accepts many invitations for dialogue, often applying his unique brand of advice and unintentional humor to many situations, (even relationships). Mordin's also involved in one of the notable quests in ME2's story, a side-chapter that revisits the Salarian's involvement in the recalibration of a bio-engineered weapon the genophage.

            The Sexism of Mass Effect 2

            Posted: 29 Feb 2012 12:20 PM PST

            Few developers produce games with appeal as universal as BioWare's games. The studio's RPGs attract male and female fans alike, and their sizable audience likely hosts more diversity than that of any other major Western developer. Both Dragon Age and Mass Effect do a fantastic job of introducing well-rounded characters of either gender. But Mass Effect -- and the second game in particular -- occasionally resorts to the use of the same sexist tropes that many other games suffer from. This series stands above those titles in almost all other ways, and BioWare's proven ability to create great games without needing to resort to lazy stereotypes means that the audience holds the company's games to a higher standard.

            Mass Effect's problems are concentrated in specific areas of the game: The portrayal of the Asari race, the character Miranda Lawson, and the character arc of Jack.

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