| MMORPG Female Character Clichés: A Rebuttal (Part One) Posted: 26 Jun 2012 01:20 PM PDT By, M. Hauschel (This article is a rebuttal to the article entitled MMORPG Female Character Clichés) I don't want to be misunderstood for blaming the gaming industry for creating all of the unrealistic images of women; instead I'm criticizing them for contributing. The expectations of how women have to look have been pushed onto the gender from television, movies, magazines, etc. Stereotyping women and only portraying them a certain way gives impressionable minds a warped view of how women are to behave and look. I'm not blaming the industry for creating the stereotypes, but they're definitely not fighting them. There is nothing inherently wrong with having attractive characters in games. There is something wrong with only having attractive characters in games. Imagine if the majority of films only have attractive characters. After a while those films would become stale and easy to predict. That's generally how I feel about the majority of games that feature any female characters. More cases than not, that character will be attractive, fit, have a outfit that reveals the curves of the body, and possibly have exposing areas of the body that are meant to arouse someone. The same could not be said about male characters. There's a thought process of "because women portray men as brutes and objectify them in romance novels, that it's okay to objectify women". Let me be clear, I'm not going to defend behavior of objectification of either sex; I don't condone sexist stereotypes of men. I'm as much bothered by the phrase, "Man up" as I am bothered by, "Don't be such a girl". Having that said, saying that because one industry makes cliché stereotype of a gender, doesn't gives credence to another industry to make cliché stereotypes. With women making up 40% of the gaming population (39% of PC game population); they are often overwhelmingly underrepresented in games. 85% of playable characters in videogames are male.1Seeing that marginable 15% often comes with disappointment, because it portrays as a stereotype. That 15% isn't made for females on most cases; it's made solely for the male audience. As the majority of women are repulsed to the idea of over-sexualized characters; you would think the market would create characters that would attract female players instead of repulsing them.2 There's a huge polka dot elephant in the room that would explain why games often don't cater to the female audience. Games are not created for women in most cases, because they're not involved; this is evident when you view how many women work in the gaming industry. (Surprise! The majority of the industry is filled with men; women only make up 20% of the industry. With 3% of game programmers being women.)3 This results in games being created for the male audience. A female perspective is necessary for the growing market and companies that wish to succeed in the industry. Excluding women from the process will become more apparent as women are becoming more educated than the male population and starting to out-earn them as well.4 There will always be the women out there that proclaim that it's okay for females to be portrayed as sexy, because they like playing sexy characters. Those girls are an exception; they don't make up the majority of how women view character design. There's a term for women who proclaim objecting yourself or other women as empowerment, they're called female chauvinist pigs. These are the same women who say posing in Playboy and flashing Girls Gone Wild are empowering. Women should not have to demean themselves and others in order to fit into the gaming society. When we're told to "get back in the kitchen" or "show tits or gtfo", laughing along or using this language as a female pushes the image of women back 50 years. Objecting yourself doesn't demand respect, and it doesn't demand respect for females in the gaming industry. A female using the female bashing language in game doesn't help the image of gamers who happen to be female. How do objectified women in games help women to be respected in the industry? It doesn't. How will this create games that are more inclusive to the female gaming population? It won't. I don't want sexy outfits taken away. I just don't want sexy outfit to be the rule of the land. The more options we have to customize our characters and create different storylines, the better it would be for players. I wouldn't want to stifle character creation in anyway. I just want to see more diversity of how women are being portrayed. You see men in all shapes and sizes, from very tall to very short; to very buff to very overweight, this variety creates interesting characters. I would love to see the same for women. Instead of only having them as fit, thin, beautiful characters, have some different looking characters for once. "They're just video games." That's always the fall back excuse. Because I'm disgusted at how women are seen in video games, the common retort is, "Well, don't play them". I like video games, and have, ever since my childhood. There are barriers in place to prevent me from enjoying games, as games are made for the male audience in mind. As much as I enjoy video games, it's difficult for me to support an industry that has such a hostile view on women. I don't really have an option, other than stop playing game entirely. For those of us females who enjoy gaming, we have two options- ignore the blatant sexism, or miss out on playing games. 
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| Fog Rolls In Legend: Legacy of the Dragons Posted: 26 Jun 2012 01:10 PM PDT Legend: Legacy of the Dragons has released a new Fog Islands update. The Fog Islands hide hidden secrets and strange creatures. The area features new quests, weapons, equipments, and ornaments to discover. Players will also find that Humans and Magmars can now attack with bows and arrows after completing a special quest series, and new players can challenge themselves against capturing Kirit Fortress to earn exclusive items and buffs. The update also allows players to face off against clans of the same race to determine who has the best strategy, tactics, and strength. These new battles can use new rare resources to deploy a limited number of buffs on the battlefields – where battles may rage for months between clans. Legend: Legacy of the Dragons is published by Mail.RU, which also publishes Juggernaut and RiotZone.  Legend: Legacy of the Dragons Gameplay Screenshot Source: The Battle for the Fog Islands Mail.Ru Games releases the biggest update yet for Legend: Legacy of the Dragons Hamburg, June 26, 2012 – Great changes come to Faeo, arena of the millennia-old war between Humans and Magmars. In the most comprehensive update yet, Mail.Ru Games expands the world of the internationally successful dark fantasy browser game, Legend: Legacy of the Dragons - which has won over 15 million players worldwide – adding lots of exciting new features and content. From new areas like the Fog Islands, to long-range weapons and clan wars – the release of this coming update will see Faeo totally transformed. Over time, new content will also be opened up through custom events. Secrets in the fog, and silent danger from afar Deep within the murky mists, the Fog Islands lie hidden, a place of secrets, and home to many unique creatures. They are ever ready to greet unwary visitors with a nasty surprise. As well as battling giant tortoises, slaying many-headed hydras, and discovering idyllic beaches, you must uncover the island’s hidden secrets in a whole range of exciting quests. If you can win the hearts of the native factions, and prove your mettle by battling monsters and other foes, you will gain access to new weapons, equipment and ornaments. On top of this, the new update gives Humans and Magmars the ability to attack with long-range weapons: A special quest series puts a bow and arrow into your hands, and teaches you the skills needed to use them. The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend Normally, warriors of the same faction fight side by side, not against each other, but there are some disputes that can only be settled on the battlefield: With the latest add-on, clans of the same race can now battle one another to show who has the strategic edge. In these battles, the clan leaders act as commanders, positioning their troops and planning the assault on the enemy forces. On top of this, you can deploy a limited number of buffs in advance in order to, for example, heal your team in a certain area. But be careful, these rare resources should be used sparingly, if you don’t want the enemy to turn the tables. Long-term planning is a must, as battles between clans can rage on for up to two months. If that’s too long for you, beginners can now also take on the challenge of capturing the Kirit Fortress. On capturing it, you will be rewarded with special buffs and items that you won’t find anywhere else. Survival of the Strongest Dark fantasy fans feel right at home in Legend: Legacy of the Dragons. An ancient war, three classes, Bonebreakers, Heavyweights and Dodgers, as well as nine professions are available to choose from, allowing a personalized role-playing experience. Faeo offers a world full of dangers, lore, legends and secrets waiting to be discovered and experienced. Over 1 million words long, Legend: Legacy of the Dragons is more than just a game to be played – it’s a novel to be lived. Of course, no gripping book is complete without some epic battles. Legend: Legacy of the Dragons is no exception: Up to 1000 players face off simultaneously in fully animated battles. Will you join the battle between Humans and Magmars? Find your path at http://warofdragons.com/
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| World Of Warplanes Developers Discuss Superiority Posted: 26 Jun 2012 12:18 PM PDT A new video from Wargaming discusses game modes for World of Warplanes. The developers discuss how they came to choose Superiority as the main game mode. This mode features both aerial combativeness and ground targets and objectives, letting teams of fifteen battle high and low in the skies to dominate the map. The team also discusses the Escort mode, where players must escort a team of AI-controlled bombers, and the tutorial mode, which will help pilots adapt to the flying and fighting systems in World of Warplanes. Wargaming also publishes World of Tanks. World of Warplanes: Developer Diaries #3 |
| Tynon Reveals The Goblins Posted: 26 Jun 2012 12:04 PM PDT Tynon has revealed its first race (with recruitable characters): Goblins. Known from many fantasy tales, the goblins in Tynon – also referred to as “The Swarm” – are trouble-makers who possess arcane abilities. They will be the first enemies players will encounter to save the thirteen kingdoms, although players must deal with their use of sheer numbers and strong leaders to best them. The goblins will also feature the game’s first boss, Captain Wart, along with his peer Chieftain Bighand, both of whom will be recruitable. Tynon is a new game from game studio uCool and the makers of Evony, and will be a browser-based strategy game with cooperative and PvP elements.  Tynon Gameplay Screenshot Source: Race Profile: The Goblin Swarm Recruitable Characters: Captain Wart, Chieftan Bighand A staple in any great fantasy epic, goblins are mischievous creatures, small in size and often possess arcane talents. In Tynon, goblins, referred to as "The Swarm," will be the first enemies players encounter on their quest to save the thirteen kingdoms from slavery and disaster under the dark wizards magic. When in raiding parties far from the Goblins' capital city of Greathovel, the Swarm wears armor and rags and is able to master weapons of all types. The Swarm operates best under a powerful leader, using their sheer numbers to overwhelm and defeat an enemy. However if their leader is killed in combat, the Swarm will break into a panic—chaos ensuing over the decision of who will become the next chieftain. The first boss players will encounter in Tynon is Captain Wart, a goblin who grew up roaming the dirt paths of Greathovel. Raised in an extremely destitute family, Captain Wart quickly learned the skills necessary to survive goblin childhood, including pickpocketing, conning and scrapping. As he grew, he found himself unmatched amongst his peers in combat and consequently became a formidable master of the twin blade arts. With these skills, Captain Wart joined Chieftain Bighand, and their company became well-known and feared throughout the kingdom. Just as Captain Wart was reaching his prime, things took a turn for the worse when Chieftain Bighand encountered an emissary from the Dragon Queen…
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| Dragon Crusade Offficially Launches Posted: 26 Jun 2012 11:34 AM PDT Aeria Games has launched its newest real-time strategy game, Dragon Crusade. The game features six playable races (each with its own unique set of troops, buildings, and more), fully customizable hero units, pets, mounts, quests, instances, and large-scale PvP warfare. The game also features a strong alliance system and gladiator arena for more cooperation and competition. Aeria Games also publishes Golden Age and Crystal Saga.  Dragon Crusade Gameplay Screenshot Source: AERIA GAMES LAUNCHES GROUND-BREAKING Dragon Crusade Guide Bustling Empires to Domination in New Free-to-Play Browser MMORTS SANTA CLARA, Calif. – June 26, 2012 – Let clashing steel, marching armies, and clanking construction fill your browser with Dragon Crusade from Aeria Games, a leading global publisher of free-to-play online games. Today's launch of the massively multiplayer real-time strategy game (MMORTS) offers players a rich and tactical kingdom-building experience with no download required. Dragon Crusade delivers an abundance of depth, providing a high level of detail and amazing customization options. The title features six playable races, all with unique buildings, troops, and abilities, ensuring that no two battles will be the same. In addition to developing fledgling towns into imposing empires, players will also be challenged by vital quests, perilous instances, and large-scale warfare against other players. Leading the hundreds of soldiers comprising a player's army, superior hero units will be the keys to victory. Further adding to the game's complexity, heroes are fully customizable with attribute skill points, giving players the flexibility to build the ultimate melee combatant, the most lethal mage, or anything in between. Mounts and pets are available to heroes as well, adding even more ways to boost hero attributes while also providing them with a companion. Forming alliances in Dragon Crusade is also a crucial tool for survival in a hostile and continually evolving landscape. Alliances benefit their members with exclusive strategic buildings like forts, warehouses, and tech centers. Those who thirst for even more PvP competition can take their heroes to the gladiatorial arena and challenge other players' heroes for glory and rich rewards! Dragon Crusade is entirely browser-based and does not require a download, and like all Aeria Games titles, it is free-to-play. Players can jump into the game right now at http://dragoncrusade.aeriagames.com.
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Well, isn't this amusing and scary at the same time: Orbitz is now starting to show visitors who use Macs different, often higher-priced rooms than their PC-based counterparts because the company's data shows that Mac users tend to spend more on their bookings. While it's easy to poke fun at Apple-ites -- are they gullible or simply high maintenance? -- the report also highlights a possible consequence of having all your online interactions driven by scads of big data. 
As we approach the limit of how much juice power supplies can realistically pull from the wall, PSU makers are turning their attention to other differentiating factors, like efficiency. Zalman is one such company taking this approach, and has just unveiled its new ZM1250 Platinum "extreme efficiency" power supply. As the name implies, the 1,250W PSU is 80 Plus Platinum certified, partially the result of using high quality components like 105C solid capacitors.
Dell today 
The Internet community is obsessed with cats, so if you're going to build a neural network consisting of 16,000 computer processors designed to simulate the human brain, then what better task is there than to have it scour the Web for felines? Researchers from Google's X laboratory saw the logic in doing exactly that, and remarkably, the massive neural network actually taught itself to recognize the Internet's favorite type of furball with surprising accuracy.
Bing Maps this week added a boatload of satellite imagery and Global Ortho photography covering nearly 38 million square kilometers (over 23.6 million miles) over North America, South America, Africa, Australia, Europe, and Asia. This represents Microsoft's largest satellite release to Bing Maps yet, which more than doubles the aerial footprint, which previously totaled 129TB of data.
