MMOGaming News

MMOGaming News

Mirror's Edge Producer Owen O'Brien Joins CCP for EVE: Valkyrie

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Mirror's Edge Producer Owen O'Brien Joins CCP for EVE: Valkyrie


After the leaving of Kristoffer Touborg, CCP Games today announced that Owen O'Brien joined EVE: Valkyrie project as executive producer. O'Brien worked for the studio DICE in Stockholm, Sweden, which is owned by EA before he joined CCP Games. And he led production of Mirror's Edge, a first-person action game at DICE.

Final Fantasy XIV: ARR - Racial Stats Guide: What you need to know!

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Final Fantasy XIV: ARR - Racial Stats Guide: What you need to know!


In Final Fantasy XIV Square Enix have decided to keep to the tradition of every single race and sub-race having different starting attributes which means there is a chance to review and optimize our builds to be that much stronger than your opponent.

Black Desert (KR) to Kick Off Closed Beta on Oct.1st

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Black Desert (KR) to Kick Off Closed Beta on Oct.1st


According to the latest news from Korean media, the long anticipated 3D Korean sandbox MMORPG Black Desert will kick off Closed Beta Test in Korea in 19 days, which is Octomber 1, 2013. PearlAbyss has unveiled recruiting information for the first Black Desert closed beta, but the signup requires phone verification, and Korean nationality.

Daily Recommendation: Pet Rescue Saga

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Daily Recommendation: Pet Rescue Saga


Can you bust through matching blocks to save the Pets from the evil Snatchers? Loads of tricky and challenging levels of puzzle excitement await in this amazing adventure. The first exciting mobile release features 117 mind-boggling levels!

Archlord II KR Released a Teaser Trailer Showing New Battlefield, Dungeons and Scenes

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Archlord II KR Released a Teaser Trailer Showing New Battlefield, Dungeons and Scenes


Today, Webzen KR released a Archlord II pre-teaser, showing battlefield, dungeons and in-game scenes to players. Those content will be all available when the game is live in October. The background music of the teaser is composed by the famous game composer, Cris Velasco.

Where's My Water Updated With 40 New Musical Levels

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Where's My Water Updated With 40 New Musical Levels


Disney has just added new content update for Allie in Where's My Water, which is entitled Allie's Curtain Call. Along with some new levels, Allie's Curtain Call contains extra collectibles to unlock and new challenges for you to complete.

Plants vs. Zombies 2: Top 10 Cheats to Beat All Levels

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Plants vs. Zombies 2: Top 10 Cheats to Beat All Levels


There are many different play styles to Plants vs. Zombies 2, but only a few tips and tricks will help you beat the game. Here are the top 10 most useful cheats and tricks to help you play the game.

SmashMuck Champions is Released on Steam Early Access

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SmashMuck Champions is Released on Steam Early Access


MOBAs are everywhere recently. Will you choose to stay the MOBA that you currently are playing, maybe like League of Legends, SMITE, DotA2, or find a new one that you think is anticipated? If you choose the second one, here is a new MOBA for you to check through. Kiz Studios has released SmashMuck Champions on Steam via the 'Early Access' program, you can head to Steam and play the game for free.

Madden NFL 25: How to Run the Ball

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Madden NFL 25: How to Run the Ball


Let's go over some tips to help you be more successful in Madden NFL 25. Here are the most noticeable areas of improvement and tips for how you can quickly relearn how to pound the ball this season.

WoW Patch 5.4 - New Warchief Revealed and Garrosh Defeat

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WoW Patch 5.4 - New Warchief Revealed and Garrosh Defeat


WoW Patch 5.4 has been launched! Two guilds defeated Garrosh! Soilers ahead!!

Female Armor Sets Comes to Sandbox MMORPG Xsyon

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Female Armor Sets Comes to Sandbox MMORPG Xsyon


Xsyon fans have been waiting a long time for female armor sets, now these sets are finally released with a total of 18 new cloth and leather armor sets. ailors and leatherworkers have their work cut out for them acquiring and collecting over 200 new armor part patterns to show off the latest fashions!

Candy Crush Saga Tips: Spend the Least Real Money

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Candy Crush Saga Tips: Spend the Least Real Money


Recently, we've been talking about Candy Crush Saga a bit here, both on our weekly podcast and in one of our recent "What Do You Think" articles. I know it's not exactly our usual bag here, but tons of people are enjoying this game. People who used to chide me for spending too much time playing video games are obsessed with this, including many of my family members.

New Race Dwarves of Isenhorst Introduced for Black Gold

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New Race Dwarves of Isenhorst Introduced for Black Gold


The Lokemean dwarves were molded in the unrelenting, harsh environments of Isenhorst. The Makers did not shine upon them, for they were born in the land of coal and boulders. But it is with their determination and aptitude in technology that they forged the empire of steam.

5 Steps to Get Free Lives in Candy Crush Saga

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5 Steps to Get Free Lives in Candy Crush Saga


Are you sick of waiting for new lives in Candy Crush Saga? This is how you can get free lives and can try that hard level again! If you change the time on your iphone or ipad you will get new lives! Following steps:Step 1: Start playing Candy Crush as usual and run out of lives.Step 2: Close your game and go to the device's settings on your Iphone/IpadStep 3: Open General Settings and open Date and time.Step 4: Switch setting 'Set automatically' to off so you can change day and timeStep 5: Set time a few hours aheadStep 6: Open Candy Crush and you have new lives!

New Trailer Teasing Mobile RPG Final Fantasy Agito

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New Trailer Teasing Mobile RPG Final Fantasy Agito


According to a recent preview in Famitsu, Square Enix has a new free-to-play Final Fantasy game for mobile.

Cross Fire Free Item Key Giveaway Event

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Cross Fire Free Item Key Giveaway Event


MMOsite is teaming up with Gambooz to give away Cross Fire free item keys.

Granado Espada Bristia Giveaway Event

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Granado Espada Bristia Giveaway Event


MMOsite is teaming up with Redbana to give away Granado Espada Bristia free keys.

Aion NA Celebrates Four Years with a Month of Festivities

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Aion NA Celebrates Four Years with a Month of Festivities


NCSOFT kicks off a month-long celebration commemorating the introduction of Aion to the West exactly four years ago this month.

LoL Strategy: Nasus - Old Dog, New Tricks

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LoL Strategy: Nasus - Old Dog, New Tricks


Nasus, The Curator of the Sands, is one champion who has taken full advantage of the new items available in Season 3 to make himself into an absolute powerhouse.

Temple Run 2 Cheats & Tips for Higher Scores & Longer Runs

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Temple Run 2 Cheats & Tips for Higher Scores & Longer Runs


If you want to get higher scores and longer runs in Temple Run 2, then look no further. Here below compiled some tips to make your life a little easier. You'll be getting higher scores and longer runs in no time.
Posted by Shri Krishna


General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

IDF 2013 Photo Gallery

Posted: 11 Sep 2013 05:11 PM PDT

haswell e192GB of RAM in a system, Bay Trail, and Haswell-E—Oh my!

We'll admit it, it was damned hard to find desktop and enthusiast-related hardware at the 2013 Intel Developer Forum. It was almost as if old desktop PCs were like the Intel's crazy aunt living in the basement. Fortunately, the desktop PC and PC enthusiasm was alive at well at IDF—if you looked hard enough.

Click through our photo gallery for the most important PC news from IDF and—gasp!—proof that Haswell-E on desktop lives!

Note: Some of the images may appear to be cropped off in the preview window so make sure you click on the picture for the full-sized photo!

Valve Announces New Steam Sharing Service

Posted: 11 Sep 2013 04:55 PM PDT

Steam Logo

New service lets you share Steam games with up to ten people 

Today Valve announced a new service called Steam Family Sharing which allows users to share their games and software with other people on their friends list. It launches in limited beta next week, and is open to the first 1,000 who sign-up. Those who gain access will allow be able to share the contents of their Steam library with up to ten Steam accounts.

The service will allow people you designate to be able to download and play games from a shared library, but it won't allow access to a specific title from more than one computer at a time. If the owner of a title logs into Steam while a "friend" is playing, the borrower will be given a notice to purchase the game for themselves, or quit playing. Similarly, if a "friend" is playing a shared game, only the owner will see it as being available, but it will be inaccessable to anybody else the account is shared with.

Valve has stated it implemented the service in direct response to user requests, which is certainly nice of the company, but could also be a move to compete against the next-gen consoles, which have both made the ability to share games a top priority in their marketing campaigns. The maneuver also gives Valve an advantage over EA's Origin download service, which recently became the first digital delivery for software to announce a refund policy.

Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs Review

Posted: 11 Sep 2013 04:35 PM PDT

Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs

A worthy installment to the famed survival-horror series

Your heart pounds in your chest. Your palms sweat on your keyboard and mouse. Your stomach churns. No, you're not having a heart attack, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs has got you in its grasp with no signs of letting go. In collaboration between publisher Frictional Games and new developer The Chinese Room, the latest installment of the Amnesia survival-horror series has arrived.

The game is set in London in the year 1899. You are Oswald Mandus, an elite and wealthy industrialist whose empire has been built upon the commercial slaughter of swine. Drawing on the dark and gruesome themes from Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs casts you into the pit of Mandus' own industrial slaughterhouse in a desperate and frantic search for your twin sons.

Veterans of Amensia: The Dark Descent will instantly recognize familiar gameplay elements while simultaneously being stripped of previously key aspects. There are no weapons to speak of in Amnesia, meaning you can't fight your scary foes. Both the sanity system and the inventory screen, for example, have been removed from the series which grants you the freedom to use your lantern without fear of running out of oil. Standing in the dark no longer makes your character grind his teeth or sway on the screen in a blurry incomprehensible terror nor do bugs slither across your screen anymore. In addition, unlike its predecessor, A Machine for Pigs follows a strict and linear progression with no option for multiple endings.

Now that's a porker

Mansion artwork in Amnesia is both captivating and creepy.

Even so, The Chinese Room stays true to Amnesia's psychological horror theme and delivers a worthy successor to the original. Everything from the mansion to the intricate factory setting is crafted meticulously well. Mandus' mansion, in particular, was constructed with so much charm that it reminded us of the time when we first set foot in the original Resident Evil mansion. And then there are the journals. We found ourselves more repulsed by the journal documents than by the actual grotesque pig-men, i.e., the abominations stalking the halls in search of you throughout the game.

Musically, the works of composer Jessica Curry's piano melodies still resonate throughout our heads transporting us back to the cursed slaughterhouse. As the composer of haunting adventure game Dear Esther, Curry's musical score alone is enough to send chills down the spine, serving as the perfect foundation for ambient effects to the game's environment; the deeper the descent into the factory, the more haunting and melancholic the score. Combined with the squeals from our disfigured swine stalkers, A Machine for Pigs provides a superb ambient sound experience.  

All praise the pig

There are some rituals that you don't want to understand.

Fans of the survival horror genre will be disappointed by the fact that, despite how well the sound, story, and production levels are, gameplay is actually not as challenging or scary as its predecessor. Puzzles have been greatly simplified and don't require much more attention than a few flicks of a switch or the turning of a valve. Encounters with the enemy feel relatively low and the sudden rattles of the factory and mansion feel predictable. Even with the reliance of scripted and triggered events, the game never got scarier than the original. 

All in all, however, the Amnesia experience lives on and A Machine for Pigs proves to be a good successor. Do yourself a favor and forgo the YouTube gameplay videos; Amnesia is a title that is well worth experiencing for yourself.

Humble Indie Game Bundle 9 Revealed

Posted: 11 Sep 2013 01:20 PM PDT

The Humble Bundle

Includes Trine 2, Mark of the Ninja, and more!

The pay-what-you-want model is back, this time with six independently developed cross-platform games. For as little as a one dollar donation, you get a Steam product key in addition to DRM-free direct downloads to the complete story of Trine 2, Mark of the Ninja, Eets Munchies and Brütal Legend. If you pay more than the average price (currently at $4.36), you can get access to FTL: Faster Than Light and FEZ. 

The combined price of these games totals more than $120 when purchased separately. The Humble Bundle allows you to choose exactly how your donation is divided whether it be through foundations, the game developers or even the Humble Bundle staff. This Humble Bundle deal will expire on September 25th at 12:00pm

Apple Stock Falls 6 Percent Following iPhone Event

Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:07 AM PDT

iPhone 5SNew iPhones, same 4-inch display

The trouble with being a mega-company like Apple is that the bar is eventually too high. It certainly seemed that way when Apple unveiled the iPhone 5, a modest upgrade to the iPhone 4S, though at least it introduced a much needed bump in screen size. Yesterday, however, rumors of an even larger size iPhone were debunked when Apple trotted out a pair of new iPhone models still featuring a 4-inch display. A day later, the company's stock is taking a beating.

In case you missed it, Apple on Tuesday introduced the iPhone 5S and 5C. The 5S model is an upgraded device with a 64-bit A7 processor (the first smartphone ever to have a 64-bit CPU), better optics, a fingerprint reader embedded into the Home button, and some new color options like gold.

The iPhone 5C takes the place of the iPhone 5 with a starting price of $99, but it's made of colorful polycarbonate plastic with a steel reinforced frame that doubles as an antenna. It's available in a variety of colors like the iPod touch.

Apple may have made two mistakes here, one for each device. First, it seems the public wants a bigger display, and if Apple needs proof of that, it need only look at Samsung and how well it's Galaxy line sells. The 5S didn't deliver, and while the 64-bit CPU is cool, only tech savvy users are likely to be geeked about that.

iPhone 5C

Secondly, the iPhone 5C is priced too high. Apple is choosing to make money straight away from iPhone 5C sales rather than aggressively go after market share that it lost to Android. Imagine if Apple priced the iPhone 5C at $50 or even free on a two-year contract. That probably would have swayed potential Android buyers into jumping ship, the hardcore anti-iOS crowd notwithstanding.

As a result of those mistakes, or perhaps because the expectation is so high these days, Apple's share price is down around $28 today, or about 6 percent. The company is still worth hundreds of billions of dollars, but if you're an investor, this is not wanted you wanted to wake up to in the morning.

What do you think about Apple's new iPhone models? Do you agree that they're overall underwhelming, or are the expectations too high?

Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Asus Unveils Rampage IV Black Edition Motherboard for Ivy Bridge-E

Posted: 11 Sep 2013 08:52 AM PDT

Asus Rampage IV Black EditionA badass board for power users

The Republic of Gamers (ROG) line of products from Asus rarely disappoints, and though we'll reserve judgement until we have to time to play with the company's new Rampage IV Black Edition motherboard, this thing looks like another winner, both on paper and in pictures. As the model name suggests, Asus blacked out the motherboard, save for a spattering of red and silver throughout.

Asus says don't confuse this with the Rampage IV Extreme Black it showed off back in April. There were only three of those boards made, and they never went on sale. Unlike last time, the new offering isn't just for show, it's for purchase, and there are plenty of reasons why enthusiasts will want to pick one up.

There are a dozen reasons right off the bat -- 12 SATA ports, 8 of which are SATA 6Gbps. The blacked out board also boasts 8 USB 3.0 ports, built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi, SupremeFX Formula audio with headphone amplifier and 120dB SNR, and a design optimized for Ivy Bridge-E.

Asus Rampage IV Black Edition I/O Panel

"The ROG team went through 5 full layout designs to find the best possible 8 DIMM memory layout topology, and where the ROG team was working on the five new Z87 boards in the first half on this year, that whole team has focused efforts on just the Black Edition this time around!," Asus stated in a blog post.

Asus also says this is the only ROG motherboard with an all-black color scheme, a privilege we're sure will cost a pretty penny, though the company hasn't yet announced any pricing details.

Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

G.Skill Adds 15 DDR3 Quad Channel Memory Kits to RipjawsZ Family

Posted: 11 Sep 2013 08:17 AM PDT

G.Skill RipjawszA memory kit for every occasion

G.Skill went a little nuts today (not necessarily a bad thing, mind you) and expanded its RipjawsZ line with a whopping 15 new DDR3 quad-channel memory kits, all of which the company claims have been optimized for Intel's Core i7 processor line for socket LGA2011 and X79 motherboards (Ivy Bridge-E, in other words). The new kits range in frequency from 1866MHz (10-11-10-30 timings) to a blistering fast 2933MHz (12-14-14-35 timings).

If you favor capacity over raw speed, two of those 15 kits are 64GB packages (8x8GB) running at DDR3-2666. They're not the fastest of the bunch, but at the same time, 2666MHz is hardly considered slow. In fact, G.Skill also rolled out four other 64GB kits at slower frequencies (1866MHz, two at 2133Mhz, and 2400MHz).

While overclocking performance is never guaranteed, G.Skill said it was able to push one of its 16GB (4x4GB) kits to 3000MHz on air cooling using an Intel Core i7 4960X processor and Asus Rampage IV Extreme motherboard.

Good stuff, though we'll temper our excitement until pricing and availability becomes known.

Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Thermaltake's Toughpower DPS Series Power Supplies Come with Software Control and Monitoring

Posted: 11 Sep 2013 07:17 AM PDT

Thermaltake DSPAppUnique software solution keeps track of energy costs

Thermaltake has come out with a new kind of power supply (PSU), one that will let you monitor and control its vitals to provide your system with clean and stable power, and to help you keep track of how much juice it's sucking from the wall. The new units are the Toughpower DPS 850W and 750W, both digitally controlled via a free software download (DPSApp) available on Thermaltake's website.

Using the software, you can essentially do three things:

  1. Monitor the electricity cost of your PC
  2. Actively monitor and record the status of your PC
  3. Share that information in the cloud with friends, if you desire

It's a pretty nifty software suite that will help you determine just how much an all-night gaming session costs, or what you're paying to run a distributed computing project like Folding@Home or SETI.

The actual power supplies themselves are fully modular, 80 Plus Gold certified, and ready to run Haswell without a hitch. No word yet on how much either model costs or when they'll be available.

Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: OCZ Fatal1ty 1000W PSU, Logitech G19 Gaming Keyboard, and More!

Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:51 AM PDT

OCZ Fatal1ty 1000W PSUnewegg logo

Top Deal:

The thing about power supplies is that if you buy a good one to begin with, it will likely be a long, long time before you have to upgrade. We happen to have superb one featured as today's top deal: OCZ Fatal1ty 1000W PSU for $184 with free shipping (normally $23 - use coupon code IVYEPSU20; additional $20 mail-in-rebate). This beast is 80 Plus Gold certified, has individually sleeved modular cables, and is fully compatible with Intel's Haswell platform.

Other Deals:

Corsair Dominator Platinum 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 2133 Desktop Memory for $216 with free shipping (normally $240 - use coupon code: [DOMTEN])

Sans Digital 4 Bay eSATA Port Multiplier JBOD Tower Storage Enclosure for $85 with free shipping (normally $100 - use coupon code: [0910BTS5]; additional $30 mail-in rebate)

Logitech G19 Black USB Wired Gaming Keyboard w/ Color Display for $111 with free shipping (normally $130 - use coupon code: [LOGT98])

Logitech Extreme 3D Pro USB Joystick for $26 with free shipping (normally $30 - use coupon code: [LOGT98])
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMO Updates

MMO Updates

Aion's anniversary events include cakes, pirates, and an aethertech design contest

Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

Aion's upcomin anniversay events include cakes, pirates, and an aethertech design contest
Remember when we teased a bit about the upcoming anniversary events in Aion? Well now we can share all the details! When the Alchemy Event wraps upon the 18th, the Daeva's Day Events will take over. These events feature the famous cake buffs as well as quests to obtain wings and challenges to earn golden feathers (to buy even more rewards!). There's even a hide-and-seek game: Mini cakes are hidden throughout Atreia for players to find. This event runs September 18th to October 2nd.

But that's not all! GMs will host various mini-games and activities throughout the anniversary celebrations, rewarding players for participating. And on September 19th, players can celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day with various pirate-themed activities and gear that's exclusive to NA.

And finally, NCsoft is holding another Leave your Legacy contest -- this time for Aethertechs. Interested participants need to submit their original Aethertech Key and Mecha design by September 25th, and the winning one will be released alongside the Aethertechs when 4.5 comes to NA. Full contest rules can be found on the official site.

[Source: NCsoft press release]

MassivelyAion's anniversary events include cakes, pirates, and an aethertech design contest originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Sep 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    CCP adds Owen O'Brien to EVE: Valkyrie roster

    Posted: 11 Sep 2013 09:00 AM PDT

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    CCP adds Owen O'Brien to EVE Valkyrie roster
    CCP has announced its new Executive Producer for the multiplayer dogfighting shooter EVE: Valkyrie; Owen O'Brien is joining the team based at the company's Newcastle studio. O'Brien previously hails from the development studio DICE (owned by publisher EA), where he had a long tenure leading the production of the first-person action game Mirror's Edge.

    EVE: Valkyrie, set for release in 2014, utilizes virtual reality to give players the sense of being a real pilot in an EVE Online spaceship. On his appointment to this new position, O'Brien said:
    "The opportunity to work with a focused, talented and passionate team at the forefront of game-changing technology is a dream scenario for me. But it's not just about the technology. This was a project born out of a genuine passion for gaming, and that shows in what the team has already achieved."
    [Source: CCP Games press release]

    MassivelyCCP adds Owen O'Brien to EVE: Valkyrie roster originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Sep 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Leaderboard: Which upcoming Korean MMO excites you the most?

      Posted: 11 Sep 2013 08:00 AM PDT

      Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

      Leaderboard - Which upcoming Korean MMO excites you the most?
      There are a lot of interesting Korean MMOs on the horizon. Well, they're interesting to me, at any rate. The problem is, none of them are playable in the West as of yet, even though one of them has a Western publisher and the others publish English-language news semi-regularly.

      Assuming you are also something of a Korean MMO aficionado, I've put together a poll featuring some of the blockbusters we'll (hopefully) be playing in the near future. Feel free to vote for the one you're most looking forward to, and explain why in the comments.

      Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!

      Continue reading Leaderboard: Which upcoming Korean MMO excites you the most?

      MassivelyLeaderboard: Which upcoming Korean MMO excites you the most? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Sep 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Black Gold's Dwarves create steamtech for all

        Posted: 11 Sep 2013 07:00 AM PDT

        Filed under: , , , , ,

        Black Golds Dwarves create steamtech for all
        In a game that fuses fantasy with steampunk, it may be the Dwarves that are the most important race at all. Black Gold is giving the center stage to its Dwarven race this week, claiming that these short and stout people are responsible for the creation of steam technology.

        Along with dispensing with some backstory on the Dwarves, the article emphasizes that the race is extremely durable and a huge fan of melee combat. Their main downside is that they have no access to magic, limiting them to the Arbiter and Tech Adept classes.

        Check out the Black Gold Dwarf spotlight video after the jump!

        Continue reading Black Gold's Dwarves create steamtech for all

        MassivelyBlack Gold's Dwarves create steamtech for all originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Sep 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: What's your favorite /emote?

        Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:00 AM PDT

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        The Daily Grind What's your favorite emote
        Don't overthink it. What's your favorite emote?

        Are you partial to /dance whenever you have a moment of downtime with friends? Do you /faint whenever a cute character walks by? Have you abused /spit or /rude because that shows everyone that you're not one to trifle with? Or does /wave simply become part of your daily emotecabulary?

        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's your favorite /emote? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Sep 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Jukebox Heroes: TERA's soundtrack

          Posted: 10 Sep 2013 05:00 PM PDT

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          Jukebox Heroes TERA's soundtrack
          Within the small but passionate video game music community, there's a common gripe that goes around regarding studios' haphazard methods of distributing and selling original soundtracks. My general thought is that it's not that hard to just make a soundtrack a digital purchase through Amazon, iTunes, etc. for those who are interested in purchasing it, but more often than not, one has to look high and low to figure out how to get the desired music.

          What's even worse is when a soundtrack is released in different editions by region. Take today's subject, TERA, as an example. TERA's OST was at least released, but in two different editions: the limited 26-track edition given to Europe and Japan and the expansive 50-track edition that debuted in the US. It's just silly to do this sort of thing, but we see it all the time (and don't get me started on the way-too-expensive Japanese import of Final Fantasy XIV's Before Meteor).

          Anyway, I have a burr in my saddle about this today because TERA is a tremendous soundtrack. It's rich, evocative, and just plain catchy in parts. If you've listened to only part of this score composed by Inon Zur and Rod Abernethy, then you owe it to yourself to scrounge up the full deal. Here are my favorites!

          Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: TERA's soundtrack

          MassivelyJukebox Heroes: TERA's soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Blade & Soul's Tower of Mushin dungeon gets new floors, bosses

            Posted: 10 Sep 2013 04:00 PM PDT

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            Blade & Soul's Tower of Mushin dungeon gets new floors, bosses
            Steparu's got the goods on Blade & Soul's latest solo endgame content. A new article on the website says that the Korean fantasy MMO's Tower of Munshin dungeon is getting "an upgrade with new floors."

            NCsoft has designed the dungeon "to be an endless tower with new solo content every now and then," Steparu writes. The new sections are accessible after clearing the seventh floor, and you can also get a sneak peek at some of the content via the video after the cut!

            Continue reading Blade & Soul's Tower of Mushin dungeon gets new floors, bosses

            MassivelyBlade & Soul's Tower of Mushin dungeon gets new floors, bosses originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Hyperspace Beacon: Five reasons to love SWTOR's Bounty Contract Week

            Posted: 10 Sep 2013 03:00 PM PDT

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            Hyperspace Beacon Five reasons to love Bounty Contract Week
            If you missed the first Bounty Contract Week for Star Wars: The Old Republic, never fear because it's on its way here again -- today, in fact. I didn't really talk about this event when it first came out because I was too busy talking about the free-to-play experiment, and frankly, I thought the event was pretty straightforward fun and didn't need too much explanation. That was before I spent a week actually participating in the Bounty Contract event. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I actually enjoyed the new content.

            The basic premise for this SWTOR event centers around the Bounty Brokers Association. This organization, totally made up by BioWare, is overrun with the number contracts that it needs fulfilled and is willing to pay anyone for completing the bounties. (To be fair, that's not too much different than a normal bounty contract, but let's just run with it.) Participants can complete one standard contract and one kingpin contract a day per character level 15 or higher. Players travel to one of eight planets (two Republic-only planets, two Empire-only planets, and four shared planets), hunting down eight different henchmen and eight different kingpins. Players earn credits, experience, reputation, achievements, and titles.

            Let me give you my top five reasons for loving Bounty Contract Week.

            Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Five reasons to love SWTOR's Bounty Contract Week

            MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Five reasons to love SWTOR's Bounty Contract Week originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Vin Diesel describes upcoming Chronicles of Riddick game as being an MMO

              Posted: 10 Sep 2013 02:00 PM PDT

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              Probably the best game for sneaking around and hurting people that does not feature Batman, Sam Fisher, or Solid Snake.
              If you can't get enough of media wherein Vin Diesel is a man who can see in the dark... well, he's got a movie out in theaters now. You should probably go and see that. But maybe you don't care about the films, preferring the games that sit alongside the series that have been the subject of critical praise. According to Diesel, another one is coming and it's going to be an MMO.

              Exactly what Diesel means by that is up for interpretation; what he cites is simply a top-level concept, which could mean anything from an online component to a fully featured shared space. He describes it as focusing on the mercenary trade in the fictional universe and allowing players a chance to interact with a larger scope of the game world. Apparently he's been talking up this aspect of the game since July, but somehow the rest of us were still in the dark.

              MassivelyVin Diesel describes upcoming Chronicles of Riddick game as being an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Camelot Unchained producer's letter talks new race, development progress

              Posted: 10 Sep 2013 01:30 PM PDT

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              Camelot Unchained
              Tyler Rockwell recently joined the crew of City State Entertainment as producer for Camelot Unchained, and recently took a few thousand words to introduce himself to Kickstarter backers and CU fans via producer's letter. The update covers Rockwell's design history, introduction to the games industry, and recent migration to CSE's Virginia studios, in addition to a few developmental points regarding Camelot Unchained.

              According to Rockwell, he is working to learn everything he can about the game and its community while simultaneously unrolling new task-tracking software and getting up to speed on what CU's team is doing. Current projects include updates to the internal patcher, further development of the game's networking system, polish on the engine's character importer, the creation of a brand-new race, and the synchronization of team animators and designers working on a variety of tasks.

              Rockwell said he considers himself the member of the team that's there to help everyone get the job done, similar to a Battlefield sniper or League of Legends healer. He also included a bit of concept art as "a not-too-subtle hint of what [CSE's] modeler is working on right now," which you can see after the jump.

              Continue reading Camelot Unchained producer's letter talks new race, development progress

              MassivelyCamelot Unchained producer's letter talks new race, development progress originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              SWTOR subscribers to receive Rise of the Hutt Cartel free

              Posted: 10 Sep 2013 01:00 PM PDT

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              SWTOR: Rise of the Hutt Cartel
              If you're an active Star Wars: The Old Republic subscriber and haven't yet picked up the Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion, BioWare has good news for you. The studio today announced that you will receive it free of charge on September 12th. The expansion, formerly priced at $9.99 for subscribers, includes the new planet of Makeb, a level cap increase to 55, and new story-driven missions.

              Subscribers who have already purchased the expansion will receive a new title, The Risen, as long as their subscriptions are active as of September 12th at 7:00 a.m. EDT (4:00 a.m. PDT). Additionally, those who purchased the expansion between August 11th and September 12th will earn 1050 bonus Cartel Coins.

              For more coverage on Rise of the Hutt Cartel, check out Eliot's impressions of the new content. And don't forget to check in on Larry's weekly Hyperspace Beacon column concerning all things SWTOR.

              MassivelySWTOR subscribers to receive Rise of the Hutt Cartel free originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              The Soapbox: The case against The Elder Scrolls Online's subscription model

              Posted: 10 Sep 2013 12:00 PM PDT

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              The Elder Scrolls Online
              The Elder Scrolls Online is one of the most anticipated online titles of 2014. Marking the first true massively multiplayer incarnation of the venerable Elder Scrolls franchise, ESO has the rapt attention of fans, developers, and industry watchers. It is the latest attempt to leverage an existing franchise into MMO territory, one that will without a doubt see a huge launch and immense media coverage through its first few months.

              Despite the hype, ZeniMax Online and Bethesda raised a few eyebrows last month when they announced that ESO would require a monthly subscription to play. According to game director Matt Firor, the subscription is required to ensure the game is a true "Elder Scrolls experience." Firor contends that predictable revenue streams generated by monthly subs are necessary to guarantee players the massive amounts of high-quality content they have come to expect from games in the Elder Scrolls universe.

              There's just one small problem: The history of the Elder Scrolls franchise directly contradicts the idea that expansive, interesting content is intrinsically reliant on monthly payments from players.

              Continue reading The Soapbox: The case against The Elder Scrolls Online's subscription model

              MassivelyThe Soapbox: The case against The Elder Scrolls Online's subscription model originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Flameseeker Chronicles: Why I love Guild Wars 2's Super Adventure Box

                Posted: 10 Sep 2013 11:00 AM PDT

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                Flameseeker Chronicles
                Back in April, ArenaNet played what was arguably the greatest MMO-related April Fool's Day prank of all time when it released level designer and jumping puzzle maestro Josh Foreman's labor of love, Super Adventure Box, in Guild Wars 2. I was but a wee Massively commenter then, and I recall that my comment on the news post about that particular revelation was something to the effect of "I'm not leaving this place until they kick me out. See you all next month!" I remember this because I was only half joking, and I really did spend most of April inside Moto's palace of 8-bit wonders.

                I love Super Adventure Box. I don't just love it because it's retro or because I get the references or because my first foray into it left me laughing fit to kill (OK, maybe the last one). I love it because, entirely independent of GW2, it's a game I can spend a whole month playing and not get tired of it. Jump with me past the cut, and I'll tell you why.

                Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Why I love Guild Wars 2's Super Adventure Box

                MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Why I love Guild Wars 2's Super Adventure Box originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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